When it comes to fall spirits (booze not boo), whiskey is the perfect choice. Hot or cold, straight or mixed, this versatile drink conjures up feelings of cozy nights and comforting warmth.
While searching for the perfect whiskey for drink recipes, we were reminded of just how male each brand was. Marketed for men by men, it’s not the most inviting alcohol to those that aren’t interested in adding hair to their chest. Does anyone really give a shit? Of course not; if you want whiskey you’re going to get some whiskey. But it still begs the question, “Are there any feminist whiskey brands?”
The answer is a resounding yes, thank Goddess.
Meet Lodestar Whiskey, a women-owned and operated spirits brand based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2023 by German-born music industry veterans and cousins Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, the courageous duo decided to leave their professions and begin anew as master distillers after noticing a vexing pattern of sexism at the bar: when a woman orders an old-fashioned, it tends to elicit a reaction.
While the reactions they experienced were not all negative, the fact that they existed at all bothered the two. Why did people find it extraordinary that a woman enjoys whiskey? Old-fashioneds are for the girls, dammit!
“Agreed!” they nod. “We have talked to many women who share the experience that identifying as a whiskey drinker often still gets a reaction. This is part of the reason why we started Lodestar Whiskey. We love whiskey and we know many women that do. Women make up a large share of the consumer growth in the category, but marketing and product perception is lagging behind.”
Lodestar is a high-quality, unconventional blend of a straight high-rye bourbon and an American single malt whiskey that provides a very smooth, very drinkable finish. “We really followed the flavor and we knew from enjoying whiskey what we were going for,” explained the cousins. “We just initially did not know how to get that in a bottle. We spent a lot of time learning and we wrote a very detailed flavor brief. It was important to us not to use any additives and to keep the product clean. We stuck to that initial brief and quickly realized that blending would be the way to get us to the flavor profile we had in mind. We ended up bucking tradition a bit by blending high-rye bourbon and single malt, but that’s how we got what we had in our mind into the bottle.”
After sharing an entire bottle to confirm our hypothesis of “this is a damn nice whiskey,” our conclusion was that it is indeed. Lodestar is very approachable, smooth, and easy to drink for someone who is new to whiskey, yet it is also complex enough to appeal to a more seasoned drinker.
“Many people think you have to know a lot about whiskey in order to enjoy it or that the higher the proof, the better it is. We wanted to create a whiskey that is uncomplicated, approachable both in flavor and price, and really high quality,” said Axster and von Schroder.
Caramel, vanilla, and citrus flavors dominate the forward notes, with baking spice and nutmeg adding warmth and complexity. From there, the single malt provides the long smooth finish we mentioned loving so much. “Versatility was really important to us since we enjoy whiskey in many different ways, and Lodestar can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks [at 90 proof it does not water down too quickly], and it’s also delicious in a cocktail,” said Axster and von Schroder “We have met many people who say they don’t drink whiskey yet when they try Lodestar they really enjoy it. This goes back to the preconceptions people have due to how whiskey has been marketed for so long.”
As female owners in a male-dominated spirit category, they had to work hard to find their footing and carve out space. While some reactions to their presence in the industry were expectedly sexist, they were pleasantly surprised overall. “We have loved the overwhelmingly positive response to Lodestar during the first seven months since our launch. People seem to really connect to the product and our story and many people are ready for the space to change and be more inclusive,” shared Lodestar’s founders.
“We have also encountered gendered responses to us as female founders in the space, especially when we first started doing research about sourcing for our blend.”
Do they have advice for other women seeking to pivot careers?
“If you are truly passionate about something and the reason why you want to do it drives you, gets you out of bed, and keeps you up at night, then believe in that and believe in yourself. We all love to stay in our comfort zones, but growth and change, both personal and societal, only happens outside of the comfort zone. As with anything, community is key and leaning on and celebrating your community in times of change is equally important. It takes a village.”
Male-dominated spaces don’t have to be gendered. They just need a woman bold enough to plant their flag. “Take up space and don’t question your instincts and your knowledge even when challenged,” say Lodestar’s founders. “You have a right to be here.”
Why is it so important for women to carve out space for themselves in patriarchal industries? “Because the patriarchal systems that still dominate our society will not change if women don’t take up space in all areas of business and life. The systems in place are still not designed by and for women, but this change will be impossible if women don’t enter patriarchal industries [and the makeup of the demographic doesn’t change],” assert Axster and von Schroder. “Disrupting preconceptions is meaningful because it points to more systemic change that still needs to happen.”
Feminism is at the center of Lodestar Whiskey’s brand, so we asked the founders, “What does feminism mean to you?”
“The belief in true gender equality in all contexts of life,” they answer back. “Some of the hard-fought rights of generations before us are being challenged again and we need to continue to expand on those rights. In business especially we are still a long way from true equality as the structures in place were built to serve men.”
Cheers to all the women no longer content with demurely serving men and those working hard toward equality in all things, even our cocktails. –tara finley
Lodestar retails for $45 and can be found online at lodestarwhiskey.com
