Chris Morris

Chris Morris is the Master Distiller for Brown-Forman Corporation. As a Louisville native, he has spent his working life in the Bourbon industry. He is responsible for maintaining the award-winning taste of the whiskies produced at the Woodford Reserve and Old Forester Distilleries. Additionally, he serves as a brand ambassador for Brown-Forman at numerous trade and consumer functions.

Morris grew up around Bourbon as he is one of three generations of his family to work at Brown-Forman. His career began in 1976 as a trainee in the central lab working for the Master Distiller. In 1988 he went to work for Glenmore Distilleries Company and joined United Distillers through its acquisition of Glenmore in 1991.

In 1997 he returned to Brown-Forman and was chosen to begin training as Brown-Forman Master Distiller, a position he has held since 2003. Morris authored the Society of Wine Educator’s Certified Spirits Specialist program, introduced the use of taste notes for Bourbon in 1992 and developed the Bourbon Flavor Wheel in 2004. In 2015 he was given the additional responsibility of Vice President of Whiskey Innovation for Brown-Forman.

As a Master of his craft, Chris developed the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon product in 2002 and more recently the brand’s Whiskey Row Series. At Woodford Reserve, he is credited with the development of Master’s Collection, Double Oaked, Rye and Distillery Series products.

Morris has served on the Kentucky Distillers Association and Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s Board of Directors and is Chairman of the Order of the Writ Society. He has served as a Whisky judge at the IWSC and ISC competitions and Co-chair of the DISCUS Master Distillers Committee. In 2017, Chris received the honor of being inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.