American

Lodestar Whiskey

$45

OVERALL
RATING

Whiskey Review: Lodestar Whiskey

by Nino Kilgore-Marchetti
April 2, 2024

Tasting Notes:

About:

It is a blend of Straight High Rye Bourbon and American Single Malt, bottled at 90 proof and priced at $45 per 750 ml.

Appearance:

This has a typical golden-amber color profile in glass, with decent legs and viscosity.

Nose:

The nose on this is light and sweet, suggesting approachability. Notes here include caramel, a slight hint of spice, some vanilla, nutmeg, and a dash of cotton candy.

Palate:

It’s just kind of smooth and mellow on the palate, with some oak, vanilla, caramel, a touch of spice, a splash of honey, and some brown sugar.

Finish:

This goes down somewhat sweet and somewhat spicy, with an ok finish and a moderate hang-out factor.

Comments:

Many American blended whiskeys like to hang out in the easy sipper category, and Lodestar certainly fits the boat. There’s nothing incredibly exciting or dull here – it just is. That said, I feel this could be a little less priced.

Lodestar Whiskey review — We review Lodestar Whiskey, a blend of Straight High Rye Bourbon and American Single Malt designed to be smooth, inclusive, and approachable. (image via Lodestar Whiskey)

Editor’s Note: The party behind this whiskey gave us a review sample. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Lodestar Whiskey is a new sourced whiskey brand to market, with its founders, cousins and entertainment industry veterans Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, having launched it just last year. This woman founded and led spirit, the first ever to be backed by Diageo’s Distill Ventures Pre-Accelerator program, is being marketed as smooth, inclusive and approachable.

“As we began developing the brand, it was important to us that our whiskey is approachable, with a uniquely delicious flavor you can enjoy neat or in a cocktail,” said Axster when it was released. “We wanted it to be inclusive and inviting to those who are new to the whiskey community while also satisfying the palates of those who enjoy whiskey regularly. Lodestar invites everyone to the party.”

“At Lodestar our golden rule is simple: bring joy to the journey and invite your friends,” added von Schroder. “We love kicking back with our favorite people, a good spirit in hand. It’s all about connecting and a sense of belonging. We hope that however people choose to gather, that their good times are made extra special with Lodestar.”

What’s specifically in the bottle for this first Lodestar expression is a blend of Straight High Rye Bourbon and American Single Malt sourced from unnamed distillery partners. This whiskey aims for versatility, either in a cocktail or by itself. Bottled at 90 proof and at least two years old, it is priced at $45 per 750 ml.