Chris Morris

Chris Morris was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1958. Morris began his career in the whiskey industry in 1976 as a trainee in Louisville in Brown-Forman’s central lab as a summer internship while going to school. In 1980 after graduating from college from Bellarmine University in Louisville with a degree in business he came aboard Brown-Forman full time.

He worked on the production side of the distilling business until 1988. Then he took a promotion and was transferred to the Glenmore Distilleries in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1991 that distillery was sold by Brown-Forman to United Distillers. In 1992 Morris introduced the use of term “tasting notes” for bourbon and documented dozens for use. Six years after departing Chris returned to Brown-Forman. In 1997, Chris was named Apprentice Master Distiller working for Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson, the creator of Woodford Reserve.

In 2002 Chris developed the Bourbon Flavor Wheel and in 2003 Henderson retired and Morris succeeded him as only the second Master Distiller in Woodford Reserve’s short history but also appointed as only the seventh Master Distiller since 1870 over all of Brown-Forman’s entire operation. In 2004 Chris penned the Society of Wine Educator’s Certified Spirits Specialist program.

Soon thereafter Chris was responsible for creating the world’s first barrel finished bourbons in both Chardonnay Casks and separately Pinot Noir Casks. Morris also pioneered the world’s first maple barrel finished bourbon in 2009 with “Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Maplewood;” this was a task that was difficult to say the least but made substantially easier when your company has its own cooperage at its beck and call. That first maple product led Jack Daniel’s No. 27 Gold.

Morris oversees the other Master Distillers at Brown-Forman’s traditional lines such as Old Forester, Early Times, Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist and Collingwood. In the last 10 years Chris has turned into somewhat of a mad scientist, inventing such notable brands as the wildly successful Old Forester Whiskey Row Series and Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. He also developed all 17 of the Woodford Reserve’s Master’s Collection releases, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Woodford Reseve Single Malt Whiskey and Woodford Reserve Rye.

In August 2015, Morris was promoted again to be the Vice President of Whiskey Innovation for the entire Brown-Forman Corporation. Chris Morris received the one of the industry’s highest honors when he was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2017. Morris became only the 6th member of the Brown-Forman family to be inducted behind his mentor Lincoln Henderson, the company’s founder George Garvin Brown, Owsley Brown, I, Jack Beam, the inventor of Early Times and Owsley Brown, II.

Chris Morris assisted Lincoln Henderson on the introduction of original 1.) Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (small batch) featuring Corn as the dominant grain which was introduced in 1997. But he is personally responsible for the three whiskies that all feature a different dominant grain including 2.) Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey featuring Rye, 3.) Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey featuring Barley Malt and 4.) Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey featuring Wheat.

Chris Morris was the mastermind behind the Double Oaked Collection. which includes the 1.) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Small Batch (Old Package), 2.) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Small Batch (New Package), 3.) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Single Barrel (Old Package) and 4.) Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Single Barrel (New Package).

Chris Morris was the driving force behind the creation of Old Forester’s Whiskey Row Series. This series and several other variations has turned Old Forester into a highly sought after brand. Pictured above from left to right are; 1.) Old Forester 1870 Original Batch, 2.) Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond, 3.) Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whiskey and 4.) Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style.