Brother’s Bond Bourbon is building on the growing international appeal of American whiskey with a strategy that combines strong founder recognition, hands-on brand building and an expanding travel retail presence.
Founded by actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, the brand has used their global profile and shared passion for bourbon to build an extensive international following, supported by a strong social media presence.
A partnership with Gebr. Heinemann in 2025 marked Brother’s Bond’s entry into travel retail, giving the brand another platform to reach consumers across markets. With ambitions to become a truly global brand, it is now looking to build on that momentum and identify new opportunities across the channel.
Ahead of the brand’s participation at the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (Blue Village, Booth E4), Brother’s Bond Distilling Company Co-Founder and CEO Vincent Hanna speaks to The Moodie Davitt Report Associate Editor Camille Bersola about the story behind the brand, its regenerative agriculture initiatives and the next stage of its global expansion.
Brother’s Bond Bourbon is built on something simple and universal: friendship, shared experiences and a great glass.
Founded by well-known actors and longtime friends Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, the brand brings their shared passion for bourbon to a global audience.
With both founders closely involved in the brand, from whiskey making to storytelling and a strong following across markets, Brother’s Bond has built a loyal community of bourbon drinkers around the world since launching in 2021.
Brother’s Bond Distilling Company Co-Founder & CEO Vincent Hanna says, “Today, Brother’s Bond is much bigger than a celebrity spirits story.
“It is about connection – bringing people together over a great whiskey, wherever they are in the world. Ian and Paul have been incredibly hands-on from the beginning, from the liquid and packaging to sustainability, storytelling and how we engage with consumers.”
That strong consumer connection ultimately has to translate into what matters most: the whiskey in the bottle.
Somerhalder plays a direct role in that process as the creator and blender of the brand’s whiskeys, developing the liquid, selecting components and shaping the final blends and flavour profiles.
Hanna says, “This isn’t a celebrity putting his name on someone else’s bourbon – Ian is directly responsible for creating what is inside the bottle, and that authenticity has been part of Brother’s Bond from day one.”
That approach runs through a portfolio that has grown beyond its flagship Straight Bourbon to include Cask Strength, Bottled-in-Bond, American Blended Rye and Regenerative Grain expressions. Together, the range gives Brother’s Bond a mix of approachable and more distinctive whiskeys.
From glass to grain
That balance between familiarity and exploration is also shaping the brand’s approach to product development and innovation.
Hanna comments: “Innovation for us has to start with a reason. We do not want to launch something simply because the category needs another SKU. We ask: does it taste great, does it add something new to the Brother’s Bond story, and will the consumer get excited about discovering it?
“That can mean exploring regenerative grain, different proofs, limited expressions, barrel finishes or completely new ways of enjoying bourbon.”
Regenerative farming has become an important part of Brother’s Bond’s story, extending the brand’s focus on innovation beyond the bottle and into the way its grains are grown.
For Somerhalder, regenerative farming is a personal priority, with Brother’s Bond working to support farming practices that focus on healthier soil and building a more resilient agricultural system over the long term.
Hanna says: “The challenge is making that meaningful to consumers without turning it into a lecture. We want people to taste an incredible bourbon first and then discover that there is a much deeper story behind it.
“For us, regenerative grain is not a marketing campaign. It is becoming part of how we think about the future of Brother’s Bond and how spirits brands can have a positive influence further back in their supply chain.”
Building a global bond
A strong social following has helped Brother’s Bond build a global community around the brand, giving it a direct way to connect with consumers across markets.
Hanna says, “Brother’s Bond is the most-followed alcohol brand in the world on Instagram, which gives us a unique ability to speak directly to consumers across markets and bring them along on the journey with us.
“That kind of global reach is especially powerful in travel retail, where the audience is international by definition.”
That digital reach is increasingly translating into a broader physical presence, with Brother’s Bond expanding beyond its US roots into international markets and new consumer touchpoints. The brand has seen its bourbon move into airports, hotels, bars and retailers around the world, opening up a much wider opportunity for growth.
Travel retail offers Brother’s Bond a natural platform for international growth, allowing the brand to reach consumers from around the world in an environment built around discovery.
Hanna says: “Our regenerative agriculture work and continued product innovation give us a much bigger story to tell than simply launching into more markets. We want to build a truly global American whiskey brand.”
Travel retail: Creating moments of discovery
With Brother’s Bond already reaching consumers across international markets, travel retail is described as a natural fit for the brand.
“People may know Ian and Paul from completely different parts of the world, so an airport is almost the perfect place for the brand. You have consumers from dozens of countries passing through one location and discovering Brother’s Bond together,” Hanna says.
Brother’s Bond entered travel retail in 2025 through a partnership with Gebr. Heinemann, giving the brand a new platform to extend its reach across international markets.
Hanna continues, “We could not have asked for a better partner to begin that journey than Gebr. Heinemann.
“They believed in the opportunity, gave us the platform to introduce Brother’s Bond properly and have been fantastic partners as we have learned and grown in the channel.
“For a young brand entering global travel retail, having a partner that understands both the consumer and how to build brands over the long term is incredibly valuable.”
The ambition goes beyond securing a place on airport shelves.
For Brotherʼs Bond, travel retail is an opportunity to put the brand in front of new consumers, encourage trial and turn that first encounter into a lasting relationship.
Hanna says: “Travel creates discovery in a way very few other channels can. Someone can discover Brother’s Bond in Frankfurt, taste it on a trip, bring a bottle home and suddenly you have created a consumer in another part of the world.”
Its vision for travel retail extends beyond the traditional tasting bar, with Brother’s Bond looking to create collaborative experiences that give travellers a reason to stop and interact.
The Bourbon Sidecar activation in Germany with Cointreau offered a strong example, pairing the two brands in a cocktail experience that gave travellers a different way to discover the bourbon.
Hanna adds, “Airports should be places of discovery, and we want Brother’s Bond to be one of the brands making that discovery exciting.”
Growing momentum in travel retail
Having established its travel retail presence last year, Brother’s Bond is now focused on taking that momentum into new markets, with wider international expansion shaping the next stage of its growth.
Europe remains central to the brandʼs travel retail ambitions, with the Heinemann partnership providing a strong foundation for further growth.
The brand is also looking towards Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, while exploring opportunities across airports, airlines, cruise lines and border stores.
Hanna says: “Our strategy is not just about adding doors. We want the right doors, the right partners and the right activations.
“We want to continue developing collaborations, cocktail programmes, limited editions and experiences that give travellers a reason to stop and discover Brother’s Bond.
“The brands that win in travel retail will not necessarily be the brands with the most shelf space. They will be the brands that create the most memorable experience.”
Looking ahead, the ambition shared by the founders is clear: to build Brother’s Bond into a truly global brand.
Hanna says: “There is something incredibly exciting about walking through an airport thousands of miles from home and suddenly seeing Brother’s Bond on the shelf. Those are the moments when you realise the brand is travelling beyond you.”
That ambition will be supported by continued innovation, further investment in regenerative agriculture and new ways of engaging consumers.
Hanna concludes: “But we also want to have fun with it. We want to collaborate with unexpected partners, create cocktails people remember, do activations people want to photograph and share, and make bourbon approachable to consumers who may never have considered themselves whiskey drinkers before. That is why global travel retail excites us so much.” ✈
