North Carolina high school friends launch bourbon company

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY/WTVD) — Four Durham Hillside High School grads are blazing their own trail in the bourbon industry.

They launched the Old Hillside Bourbon Company about a year ago. On Saturday, they officially held their bottle launch event.

Old Hillside Bourbon Company (Photo: WTVD)

Co-Founder Jesse Carpenter says their goal is to create more ways for African Americans to enter the liquor industry.

“Hillside is literally outside showing out and it’s a brotherhood, it’s a friendship,” he said. “I went to elementary school with some of these people and they’re out here buying our product, it’s awesome.”

The group invested about $80,000 to get their company off the ground.

Carpenter is the father of WWAY Good Morning Carolina Meteorologist Ramel Carpenter.