Updated
Updated · Willamette Week · Jul 6
Aviation Gin Shuts Portland Tasting Room After 4 Years, Moves Distillation to Other Diageo Sites
Updated
Updated · Willamette Week · Jul 6

Aviation Gin Shuts Portland Tasting Room After 4 Years, Moves Distillation to Other Diageo Sites

3 articles · Updated · Willamette Week · Jul 6

Summary

  • June 28 marked the last day of service at Aviation Gin’s Northwest Portland tasting room and visitor center, ending a site that opened in September 2022.
  • Diageo also shifted Aviation’s distillation out of Portland after starting the transition last year, saying the move was aimed at efficiency and reflected evolving business needs.
  • The London-based drinks group said the brand remains an important part of its portfolio and tied the closure to broader growth ambitions rather than a retreat from Aviation Gin.
  • Aviation began as House Spirits’ flagship product in Oregon, and Ryan Reynolds—who joined as spokesman and part-owner in 2018—still holds an ownership stake.

Insights

With its Portland home gone, is Ryan Reynolds' celebrity the only 'authentic' ingredient left in Aviation Gin?
After a $610M deal, why did Diageo erase the very Portland story it paid for?
Is Portland's famous 'weird' culture driving away the successful businesses it helps create?