David McIntyre

R. David McIntyre was born on June 29, 1988, and grew up in Bedford, Indiana, where childhood friendships would eventually become the foundation of a successful whiskey enterprise. Among those friendships were his relationships with brothers Blake and Julian Jones, with whom he would later establish West Fork Whiskey Company. Although their professional lives initially took different directions, the three maintained a common interest in building a business together. What began as an idea among longtime friends eventually developed into one of Indiana’s more ambitious craft whiskey operations.

McIntyre pursued his education at the University of Richmond, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He subsequently attended Barry University School of Law in Florida, earning his Juris Doctor degree while working full-time as a management consultant. He also served as an officer in the United States Army Reserve. The transition from a conventional professional career to whiskey entrepreneurship began while McIntyre was completing law school. During a rare break in his demanding schedule, he took the decisive step of filing the articles of incorporation for the business he and his friends had discussed. After completing the paperwork, he telephoned Jones to announce that their proposed venture had officially begun. Within months, McIntyre had completed law school and returned to Indianapolis, committing himself to transforming the newly established company into an operating distillery.

West Fork's beginnings date to 2014, when McIntyre and the Jones brothers established their business in a warehouse on the northwest side of Indianapolis. None of the founders came from a traditional distilling background, and their initial operation depended heavily on personal commitment and financial sacrifice. They retained their regular employment while spending evenings and weekends developing the business, frequently performing the work themselves. Financing came partly from personal resources, including money withdrawn from retirement accounts and funds obtained through personal credit. Their willingness to invest their own savings and assume substantial financial obligations demonstrated the seriousness of their commitment to building an Indiana whiskey company.

From the beginning, West Fork concentrated on developing a recognizable identity based on Indiana agriculture and grain-derived whiskey. Corn became particularly important to the company's philosophy, reflecting both the state's agricultural heritage and the grain's central role in bourbon production. McIntyre expressed that philosophy in a statement adopted by the company: "Corn is the soul of our whiskey and the backbone of our craft." Rather than attempting to imitate Kentucky's established bourbon industry, the founders sought to demonstrate that Indiana possessed the agricultural resources, production capabilities, and entrepreneurial talent necessary to establish its own reputation for quality whiskey.

West Fork gradually developed a portfolio emphasizing the different characteristics obtainable through variations in grain composition and production methods. Its bourbon offerings include traditional expressions alongside wheated, high-corn, and high-rye variations. Yet one of West Fork's most distinctive offerings was its Old Hamer bourbon, associated with a mash bill containing 99 percent corn and 1 percent malted barley. The Old Hamer name also connects the company's contemporary whiskey production with Indiana's earlier distilling heritage. Through this expression and its broader bourbon portfolio, These products collectively reinforce the company's commitment to producing whiskey with a recognizable Indiana identity.

As West Fork's production and reputation developed, the limitations of its original warehouse became increasingly apparent. Approximately three years after its founding, the company relocated to a renovated building in Indianapolis's Kennedy-King neighborhood, and by 2021, McIntyre and his partners were preparing for another expansion that would fundamentally change the scale of their enterprise. West Fork announced plans for a whiskey production and visitor destination in Westfield, Indiana, near the Grand Park sports complex. The approximately $10 million project encompassed more than a dozen acres and was designed to combine expanded distilling operations with hospitality, entertainment, and educational experiences. Rather than developing an isolated manufacturing facility, the founders envisioned a destination where visitors could experience whiskey production while enjoying the broader amenities associated with a modern distillery campus. That vision became a reality in 2022 with the opening of West Fork's approximately 35,000-square-foot Westfield facility. The expansion substantially increased the company's physical presence and provided a foundation for additional whiskey production and long-term growth. The campus incorporated hospitality attractions, including The Mash House restaurant and a cocktail lounge, creating opportunities for visitors to experience West Fork whiskey in a setting extending beyond the traditional tasting room. Dining, cocktails, events, and distillery experiences became complementary elements of the company's business model. The development also positioned West Fork to participate in Indiana's growing interest in distillery tourism and locally-produced spirits.

Throughout these developments, McIntyre has maintained a personal connection to the Indiana community in which his business had taken shape. He and his wife, Annie, have two children and a goldendoodle. He is an associate attorney at Becker Bouwkamp Walker, in an Indianapolis suburb. Outside his professional responsibilities, he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, cooking, camping, following Indiana sports, and participating in community activities.

McIntyre's career illustrates the progression of an entrepreneurial venture from an informal agreement among childhood friends to a substantial whiskey manufacturing and hospitality enterprise. His background in business administration, law, consulting, and military service preceded a career devoted to developing Indiana's presence in the American whiskey industry. From the original Indianapolis warehouse to the expansive Westfield campus, West Fork's development has reflected a consistent emphasis on locally-rooted whiskey production, particularly bourbon made with Indiana corn. McIntyre and his partners have built their company around that agricultural identity while extending its reach into hospitality, tourism, and commercial development, establishing West Fork as a distinctive participant in Indiana's modern whiskey industry.

Sources:

West Fork Whiskey Co. official website. westforkwhiskey.com
Indianapolis Monthly, “West Fork Whiskey Co.”, Jeff Vrabel, August 7, 2018), indianapolismonthly.com
Becker Bouwkamp Walker, PC, “R. David McIntyre attorney profile”, b2wlaw.com
You Are Current, “Cheers!: West Fork Whiskey Co. up and running in Westfield”, Mark Ambrogi, September 13, 2022, youarecurrent.com
Whisky Advocate, “Indiana’s Growing Crop of Distilleries”, January 2, 2025, Julia Higgins, whiskyadvocate.com
Distillery Trail, “West Fork Whiskey Breaks Ground on New $10 Million Distillery and Agritourism Destination”, August 3, 2021, distillerytrail.com
LinkedIn profile, “David McIntyre”, linkedin.com

Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee