Title: Tasting Room/General Manager
Company: West Fork Whiskey Co.
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Education: Salutatorian, Spirits Academy Southern Glazer’s Alcohol Distributors Company;
BS in Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 2016
Career History: Co-Founder, Lockdown Cocktail Company, 2021-Present;
Tasting Room, General Manager, West Fork Whiskey Company, 2016-Present;
Operations Manager, White Lodging Services, 2018-Present;
General Manager, Rebar Indy LLC, 2017;
Bartender, Thunderdome Restaurant Group, 2015-2017;
Hotels, Fast Food Restaurant, Fine Dining
Jacob Nolan Cantu, Tasting Room/General Manager of West Fork Whiskey Co., has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field.
As an aficionado of both whiskey and science, becoming the Tasting Room/General Manager for West Fork Whiskey Co. has been a dream come true for Mr. Cantu. Upon starting in these roles in2016, he has crafted cocktail mixes using his science background to stabilize longer periods of time to last 30 days;, taught people what whiskey can do with the six different types created as a company, partaken in cocktail programs to create a competitive nature, and recreate other trends in the food and drink industries on the whiskey level. In addition to his work at West Fork Whiskey Co., he became a co-founder of the Lockdown Cocktail Company in 2021. In recognition of his efforts, Yelp recognized West Fork Whiskey as one of the Top 15 Whiskey Bars in the Country in 2020. In addition, he has received accolades such as the Top 12 Bourbon Cocktails in the Country from the United States Bartenders Guild, ranking among the Top Bourbon Cocktails of Indianapolis, and in 2016, as one of the Top Bartenders of Indianapolis from Realest Magazine.
Looking toward the future, Mr. Cantu endeavors to expand West Fork Whiskey Company to a new agrotourism facility and be the largest micro distiller in the country and largest agrotourism in Indiana offering tours, full restaurant, cocktail lounge, event space, production and storage. With all that, he would become director of those facilities and chief operating officer of the department in West Fork Whiskey Company. He also wants to get the community efforts going on a good standpoint with all the commodities, how to keep moving forward, and developing the city. Mr. Cantu will also continue his civic work, such as his missionary work with Haiti Hungry No More, and various volunteer efforts such as Habitat for Humanity and the Northern Lights Sled Dogs.
