Lodestar Whiskey Launches in Santa Barbara

Have an Old-Fashioned with Your Men’s Fashions at The Optimist

Lodestar Whiskey founders (and cousins) Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder | Photo: Sally Peterson

Lodestar Whiskey | Photo: Sally Peterson

Whiskey could sort of use a de-stuffy-cation, no? Images of it harken to Western movies (which nobody makes anymore) and hardboiled writers or actors like Dashiell Hammett and Humphrey Bogart.

Lodestar American Whiskey is here to shake all that up.

To start, the project is led by cousins Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, veterans of the world of music and film. Loving the liquor but not crazy about its marketing, Axster says their hope is “to allude to whiskey’s historical roots, but also make it more modern, more fresh, and not overly gendered.”

Lodestar achieves that goal via a blend of high rye bourbon — providing caramel, spice, balance — and American single malt that von Schroder claims, “Brings a wonderful ending to the drinking experience, some fun cereal notes that differentiate us from other whiskeys.”

It is an easy-sipper, full-flavored and smooth, and carries its 90 proof almost too well. Like I wrote, smooth.

The two took their time putting the project together, travelling, talking to distillers, honing their palates. Currently they work with a distiller in Indiana, but, Axster adds, “We taste every barrel and are always looking for new good product.”

Launched in Los Angeles in 2024, Lodestar draws from the cousins’ careers in the entertainment industry. “We have worked in creating experiences for people,” is how Axster puts it. “We hope to help create a community, make a shared experience.”

They particularly want to suggest ways to work their whiskey into cocktails, from a Lodestar Espresso Tonic to a This Mango Is A Mood, a spicy whiskey-based take on a margarita.

“We wanted Lodestar to be good for someone new to whiskey,” von Schroder says. “Cocktails are a great way to introduce a spirit.”

Lodestar is getting introduced just that way to Santa Barbara as they recently partnered with The Optimist at the brand-new shopping center The Post Montecito (just off East Cabrillo by the Bird Refuge at the new traffic circle). The store will be pouring Lodestar Whiskey Old-Fashioneds for their shoppers this month, just as the much-loved men’s wear store previously did in its original Culver City location. (How civilized a shopping experience this will be.)

As for the future, and possible other styles or blends, Axster says, “We’re focused on this one expression for a while longer. Just Southern California is such a big market, and we want to reach Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and more.” The duo also stresses if people want to find Lodestar, it’s available via their website (lodestarwhiskey.com), as are numerous cocktail recipes to help make the good stuff go down.