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T ime to bond: The Vampire Diaries actor Ian Somerhalder, co-founder and Blending Master of Brother’s Bond Bourbon, was indeed verrrry successfully bonding with a great many folk in the exhibition yesterday where he was putting on a show on the GMAX Travel Retail exhibit. The “ultra-premium Bottled-In-Bond bourbon is crafted with passion and aged to perfection” with his co-founder and fellow actor, Paul Wesley. Launched in 2021 the goal was “to create a bourbon that epitomised elegance, exceptional smoothness, complexity, and balance – one that would captivate the most discerning bourbon enthusiasts.” Ian and Paul embraced an entirely hands-on approach to their venture and Ian’s passion indeed shone through as he told the TFWA Daily: “This carbon-negative rare bourbon comes from one floor of one rick house from which only five rooms produce this whiskey. I know the relations of each barrel, whether produced in the heat of summer, or the cold of winter, combined with the humidity which comes from the river. I know all the subtle differences; I know exactly what cooperage will work with each mash.” GMAX hosts Brothers Bond Bourbon: craft-blended by Vampire Diary stars; followed by 2 million on Insta D iverse Flavours’ Managing Director Anthony Budd presents a new addition – Survivor’s Pinotage – in the exhibition yesterday. “South African Wine is a real opportunity – it has a smaller share than other markets, but when operators give us a chance, everyone finds that we create a new profit stream – we bring new bonus consumers looking for quality at very good prices.” Diverse Flavours is aptly named because it represents an extensive portfolio of South African wines from the Western Cape Regions now represented in GTR across many airlines and cruise companies, and at airports including Dubai Duty Free, the Philippines and Japan. The latest additions to the Diverse Flavours’ labels include Stellenzicht, Cape Point, and Survivor which includes a Pinotage – a grape variety created in South Africa a century ago as a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. “The precise centenary ranges between when Pinotage was first cultivated in 1924, harvested, made into wine, and then eventually drank – however, it is still a superb opportunity to celebrate, and make great sales of this signature South African wine variety,” said Budd. GreenVillageK55 Diverse Flavours: Pinotage centenary “superb reason to celebrate – and make great sales” Ian and Paul are steadfast in their mission to build a legacy brand, “crafted in tradition”, but they are also harnessed to the methods of modernity in becoming the most followed spirit brand on Instagram, with almost two million followers (albeit proudly brought to you today by the TFWA Daily read by over 12,000 GTR visitors to TFWA World Exhibition & Conference). BlueVillage E4 Tuesday 30 September 2025 74 T F W A D A I L Y