Brother's Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
There were a number of new brands started in 2020, and if you are not social media savvy, present company included, then you may have missed the announcement from Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley announcing their four-grain bourbon, Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Background - Brother’s Bond
Both Ian and Paul are best known for their roles in the TV Series (2009-2017) The Vampire Diaries. To my better half, this was must see TV, yet for me, it was an opportunity to see more whiskey being included in shows that piqued my interest. Ok, the cast was quality, and the plot lines kept me interested as well.
Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a four-grain spirit that comes in at 65% Corn, 22% Rye, and an unknown mix of Barley and Wheat. We do know that the spirit is aged at least four years in 53 gallon barrels with the staves being #4 Char and the heads being #2 Char. Once the whiskey matures, this is when both Ian and Paul selected the proper blend in this first batch, and present what’s in the bottle.
For those who care, the product was distilled in Indiana, which means that MGP most likely has a hand in this one. Also, the Brother’s Bond Distilling Company is listed on the bottle being located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. This leads me to believe that Pernod Ricard is also involved in this project as the distilleries in Fort Smith include a Hiram Walker Plant.
Regardless of the finer details for the more veteran bourbon consumer, Ian and Paul’s expression is about the bond their characters shared from the show, along with the bond they have developed together.
“Our brotherhood has led us right here, with all of you. Honoring the distilling traditions of classic American bourbon, we carefully selected a four-gran mash bill of corn, rye, wheat, and barley.”
Coming in at 80 proof, this expression is approachable for the new whiskey drinker, which is a lot of their fans of the show. This makes the whiskey approachable to drink neat, with ice, or in a cocktail...to just share the whiskey in how you see fit with friends no matter their whiskey experience.
Lastly, according to the bottle tag, Ian and Paul are “giving back a portion of profits to support regenerative agriculture and farming practices to slow climate change by sequestering carbon while producing oxygen.”
Tasting Notes
Color – Golden, Honeydew, like a late morning sunrise.
Nose – Soft Baked Goods, Honeysuckle, a touch of a dusty hay barn
Taste – Light, crisp, wheat bread, with some floral notes.
Finish – Fast to Moderate, almost lavender as the spirit lingers. There are some wood notes as well.
All in all, this is a refreshing whiskey that I could see drinking with friends around the patio table. Before you know it, the bottle would be gone as this one drinks very easy. I can envision the conversations being about the world around us, and not about the whiskey. I would consider that a good thing.
If you wanted to pick up a bottle, it will put you back $40 and you can purchase directly from ReserveBar.com starting in March to mid-April. It also looks like Drizly.com and Instacart will also have it available once the bottles start distribution.
If the formal launch goes like the Pre-Sale, this inaugural batch will most likely sell out. I base this on the Instagram flurry with each Ian and Paul post. This one will be fun to watch....which leaves me to wonder, what’s next from these two as I do not believe they will settle for just this offering. If I learned anything from The Vampire Diaries, I know that their characters loved aged whiskey.
In closing, I think Ian and Paul say it best...”Life is about experiences.We crafted this hand-selected bourbon in hopes that you may strengthen bonds both new and old.Reminisce, share, and enjoy all that it has to offer”.
