Willow Oaks Craft Cider and Wine

Found this hidden gem while in the area for an autumn hike. I love checking out local businesses so I thought I'd give it a try. The ciders and libations here are for the adventurous tastebuds. From the agricultural lesson in describing their product to the scents and tastes of the ciders, it is a full sensory experience. Even one of the ciders I didn't care for evoked memories. My favorite was the Pairing. One sip and I melted into my chair in full relaxation. It was the kind of taste where I could curl up in a blanket in a dusty old library with a book and just sip for hours. As I said - full sensory experience. If you have adventurous tastebuds and a penchant for nostalgia, give Willow Oaks a try.

Willow Oaks is in a beautiful location with friendly staff. There is a gentle, friendly dog who visits with you at your table, which was a highlight. The interior is cozy, the porch is lovely.

The cider, however, was not to our taste. We tried their tasting of 6 ciders, and each one was sour and vinegary. Not dry, sour. It was a little shocking, frankly. We expected to enjoy at least one of them. This type of cider might appeal to people whose palates lean towards sour beers. Their dessert wines were not included in the tasting, so we can’t comment on those.

I would not recommends doing the tasting; try one of their ciders. If you don’t like it, know that they are all going to have that base sour flavor.

I truly love Willow Oaks! The location is beautiful and the cider delicious!

Just visited this beautiful, serene cidery. The ciders on offer are extremely tart, but tasty. If you are expecting something like a traditional store-bought hard cider (Strongbow, Magners, etc), you may be in for a surprise. These ciders are more sippers than thirst quenchers. The dessert wines are sweeter, less tart, and more approachable.

The setting and atmosphere are very relaxing. The owners are exceptionally helpful and friendly. Picturesque views of the rolling hills combined with a distinct lack of road noise makes this an excellent place to visit for folks looking to enjoy a quiet gathering with friends.

Regarding some of the negative reviews I have seen:
Ginny the dog is a sweetheart. For those unfamiliar with dogs, they sometimes bark. When I was there, Ginny barked only when greeting new visitors and then quickly resumed her pets/snack patrol amongst the patrons.

The owners are very upfront about what to expect from their ciders and dessert wines. Yes, the ciders are very tart. No, they do not taste like nail polish remover. Those individuals posting reviews complaining about the cider may not have paid attention when the owners described their ciders, and those complaining about Ginny should probably avoid dogs in the future.

I am looking forward to visiting again in the fall or winter!

We went for a visit after meeting Eric at the farmers market. We are so glad we did! The kids had a great time blueberry picking while we sipped and got cozy in the tap room. We plan to get our beef from here.
Eric and the staff are all kind and welcoming, and very knowledgeable!

Before coming to Willow Oaks, I had pretty much sworn off on American cider. What is available is generally too sweet and overly carbonated. At the suggestion of some friends, we stopped by the cidery when down for a visit from Ohio. I could write a few pages of the wonderful experience my wife and I had here. Lori and Eric were (and are) wonderful hosts. My wife and I are planning our next visit.

The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about their product and the price was good.I am a bit surprised that the rating is so high here however. It was difficult to find on GPS, everything we drank tasted like nail polish or vinegar, and I was amazed they didn’t offer food considering there are so many around the area that do. Also considering they have an Airbnb apparently. They also did not have as much to sell in their shop as I thought they would and the fruit they did have for sale looked old.Considering how many other options this area has for cider, I’d consider going elsewhere.

Pros:PrettyCan feed cowsAmple space and lightCons:No foodCider tasted like nail polishTours weren’t an official thingShould have known it was “eh” from being under populated on a SaturdayA bit difficult to find - GPS kept wanting to take us to a house nearby

Lovely place with great views and amazing cider. I appreciated the historical nature of some of the ciders and the explanations. The gentleman who explained their orchard was full of interesting information. I appreciated they sold produce here as well. I plan to return!

We had a lovely experience. A relaxed atmosphere and yummy ciders. I found the dog welcoming and friendly. An outside deck or an inside air conditioner patio surrounded by local art.

The Pippen and Juliet were by far my favorite. The place is a little out of the way, but the hospitality and peace you’ll find can’t be beat. Definitely recommend checking it out.

Best cider in Maryland, great host, beautiful place，lovely dog.

So wonderful place!!!

The right place to enjoy some special and wonderful cider you never tried in other place. I will call Eric an inventor. ?

Such a nice experience and a beautiful view! This is a pretty artisanal cidery -- don't come expecting Angry Orchard and massive patio. Expect an off-the-beaten-path farm cidery with wonderful owners and a great history. Many of the ciders are aged and on the drier side, but there's something for everyone.And their mid-century tasting room feels like something from a Frank Lloyd Wright house-- if you want a place to relax and read a book with a view, this would be the place.