Hall of Fame

Chris Morris is Master Distiller for Brown-Forman Corporation, the seventh since the company began in 1870. A Louisville native, Chris has spent his working life in the Bourbon industry. He is responsible for maintaining the award-winning taste of the Woodford Reserve Family of Brands. Additionally, he serves as Brand Ambassador for Brown-Forman at numerous trade and consumer functions. Chris grew up around Bourbon and has been involved with it his entire life. He is one of three generations of his family to work at Brown-Forman and his career with the company began in 1976 as a trainee in the central lab working for the Master Distiller.

In 1988, he transitioned to Glenmore Distilleries Company and joined United Distillers through its acquisition of Glenmore in 1991. In 1997, Chris returned to Brown-Forman and was chosen to begin training as Brown-Forman master distiller, a position he has held since 2003. In 2002 he developed the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon product and more recently the brand’s Whiskey Row Series.

At Woodford Reserve, Chris developed the Master’s Collection, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Rye and Distillery Series products, and in 2015 he was given the additional responsibility of Vice President of Whiskey Innovation for Brown-Forman. As a student of the industry, Chris 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.

Through his nearly 40 year association with Bourbons and other distilled spirits, Chris Morris has become a recognised authority within the alcohol industry and at Brown-Forman carries the title Spirits Historian. Chris has served on the Kentucky Distillers Association and Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s boards. He is also Co-chair of the DISCUS Master Distillers Committee.