Rusty Musket Distilling Co. sits on 267 4 Seasons Road in Boswell, Pennsylvania, a small Somerset County town where craft spirits aren’t exactly common. Founded by Bob and Lisa Tennant in 2016, this operation started as a retirement project that got way more serious than they initially planned. Bob spent decades in manufacturing before deciding he wanted to try his hand at something completely different, while Lisa brought business management experience from her corporate background. They converted a former auto repair shop into their distillery space, keeping some of the industrial character while adding the necessary equipment for small-batch bourbon, rye, and moonshine production. The Tennants didn’t jump into distilling blindly. Bob spent two years learning the craft, visiting other Pennsylvania distilleries, and working with consultants before they fired up their first still in late 2016. Their approach focuses on traditional methods with modern safety standards, using a 250-gallon copper pot still for their whiskey production and a smaller column still for their white spirits. The learning curve was steep, especially convincing local officials that a distillery could work in rural Boswell, but they’ve built a steady following among locals and visitors exploring Pennsylvania’s emerging craft spirits scene. Visitors get a genuine small-town distillery experience here. You’re not dealing with corporate tour guides or polished marketing presentations. Bob or Lisa usually handle tours themselves, walking you through their modest production space and explaining how they’ve adapted recipes and techniques to work with their equipment and local conditions. The tasting room feels more like someone’s well-appointed basement bar than a commercial space, which fits the overall vibe perfectly. They’re making decent spirits on a scale that lets them experiment and adjust, though don’t expect the complexity you’d find at larger operations with years of aging inventory.