3-Oaks Distillery sits on a working farm in Holy Cross, Iowa, where the Heim family turned their agricultural roots into craft spirits. Bob and Denise Heim founded the operation in 2014, converting part of their century farm into a distillery that produces bourbon, whiskey, and flavored spirits. The facility operates out of a renovated barn structure where visitors can see the grain-to-glass process happening on the same land where some of the corn is grown. The Heims didn’t stumble into distilling by accident. Bob’s background in farming gave him deep knowledge of grain quality, while their decision to add distilling came from wanting to diversify their agricultural operation. They named it 3-Oaks for the three oak trees that have stood on their property for generations. The operation remains genuinely small-scale, with production focused on quality over volume. Visitors get an authentic farm distillery experience here. You’re not walking through a polished tourist attraction but seeing a real working operation where the owners are often hands-on during production. The tasting room maintains that down-to-earth farm atmosphere, and you’ll likely meet Bob or Denise during your visit since they’re actively involved in daily operations.