High West names Isaac Winter new master distiller in Park City

High West Distillery has promoted Isaac Winter to senior director, master distiller, putting an in-house veteran in charge of one of Park City’s best-known brands as it manages production across Utah and beyond.

Winter joined High West in September 2017 as distillery manager and was named director of distilling in 2023. He recently earned master distiller certification from the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers, adding formal credentials to a role that now carries oversight of new-make spirit production across Constellation Brands’ craft spirits portfolio and its third-party distillery partners.

The move also marks a succession shift after Brendan Coyle left in early 2026 to focus on his cider business, Dendric Estate. Winter will work alongside Tara Lindley, High West’s master blender and director of sensory and new product development, a partnership that suggests continuity in the brand’s approach to blending, recipe development and releases that have helped define its reputation.

That matters in Summit County because High West is more than a label on a bottle. The company was founded in 2006 by David and Jane Perkins in Park City and became Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, a milestone that tied the brand to the state’s whiskey history and to the modern identity of Main Street Park City. Its core lineup includes rye and bourbon, while limited releases such as Bourye, a blend of bourbon and straight rye whiskies, have helped keep the brand visible in a crowded spirits market.

Constellation Brands bought High West in October 2016 for $160 million, when the company had about 200 employees and was selling roughly 70,000 cases a year. Today, High West operates from multiple Utah locations, including its original Park City saloon and its larger Wanship distillery, which expanded production capacity beyond the resort town and into a broader manufacturing footprint.

For Summit County, the leadership change is notable because it keeps the brand’s technical direction in the hands of a longtime company insider at a moment when consumers are watching for stability, workers are watching for growth and local businesses are watching how far the brand’s next chapter reaches. Whether the shift changes production, staffing or future product lines, High West’s next moves will help shape both a Park City signature brand and a piece of Utah’s spirits economy.