Stillwagon Distillery sits on Fir Avenue in Reedsport, Oregon, a small coastal town where the Umpqua River meets the Pacific. Founded by Dennis and Cindy Stillwagon, this craft distillery opened its doors in 2014 after the couple decided to turn their home brewing hobby into something bigger. The operation runs out of a converted commercial space that they’ve transformed into a working distillery and tasting room, complete with copper stills and aging barrels that fill the space with the rich scent of developing spirits. The Stillwagons didn’t come from distilling backgrounds—Dennis worked in construction while Cindy handled business operations—but they dove headfirst into learning the craft. They started with vodka and brandy before expanding into whiskey, focusing on small-batch production that lets them experiment with different grains and aging techniques. The learning curve was steep, involving everything from navigating Oregon’s liquor laws to perfecting their recipes through countless test batches. What you’ll find here is a no-frills operation where the focus stays on the spirits themselves. The tasting room feels more like visiting someone’s well-equipped garage workshop than a polished tourist destination, which actually works in its favor. You can watch the distillation process happening just feet away from where you’re sampling, and the Stillwagons are usually around to explain what’s bubbling in the stills or aging in the barrels. It’s the kind of place where you learn something new about distilling while discovering spirits you won’t find anywhere else.