Diageo Closes 3-Year-Old Aviation Gin Visitor Center as US Spirits Sales Fall 15.4%
Updated
Updated · The Spirits Business · Jul 3
Diageo Closes 3-Year-Old Aviation Gin Visitor Center as US Spirits Sales Fall 15.4%
3 articles · Updated · The Spirits Business · Jul 3
Summary
Diageo said it will shut the Aviation American Gin visitor center in Portland, Oregon, only three years after the site opened in September 2022.
The company tied the move to “evolving business needs” while maintaining Aviation remains a priority brand, even as CEO Dave Lewis pushes cost cuts and restructuring across the group.
Aviation’s bottling and blending were already moved from the Oregon site to another Diageo facility last year, and the company has not yet confirmed when the center will close or how many jobs are affected.
North America’s slowdown has added pressure: Diageo said US spirits sales fell 15.4% in the three months to March 31, 2026, with tequila posting a double-digit decline.
The closure fits a broader retrenchment that has included shutting Distill Ventures, moving Chase Gin production to Scotland after a 2025 site closure, and putting 150 Ireland jobs at risk.