Chris Morris

Master Distiller Emeritus

Chris Morris is Master Distiller Emeritus for Woodford Reserve.  In 1996, Morris helped create the new bourbon and grew it into a global brand. 

The mastermind behind Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Rye, and Master’s Collection, Chris knows the keys to making good whiskey are time and patience, but having a sense of good craftsmanship is also a talent that goes a long way.

Chris began his career in bourbon in 1976 as a trainee in Brown-Forman’s central lab. In 1997, he was an understudy to Lincoln Henderson, Woodford Reserve’s inaugural Master Distiller, whom Chris succeeded in 2003. In the years that followed, Chris was responsible for creating the world’s first bourbon finished in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Barrels. He’s also credited with developing the world’s first maple barrel; a difficult feat made easier since Woodford Reserve owns its own cooperage.  He is a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Angela, live in Louisville, Kentucky.