LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brown-Forman is reaching deep into its archives for a special whiskey release honoring one of the most influential figures in modern American whiskey.
The Louisville-based spirits company announced Tuesday the return of Kentucky Boy, a long-dormant whiskey brand being revived as a one-time release celebrating Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and his 50 years with Brown-Forman.
Kentucky Boy will be bottled at 100 proof with a suggested retail price of $99.99. Only a limited number of bottles will be released, giving the whiskey all the ingredients to become one of Brown-Forman’s more sought-after collector releases of 2026.
The whiskey was created by Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall and Old Forester Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo as a tribute to Morris, who has served as a mentor to both distillers.
McCall and Trigo drew inspiration from several whiskies closely associated with Morris’ career, including Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, King of Kentucky and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Together, those expressions represent some of the most recognizable examples of Morris’ influence on Brown-Forman’s modern American whiskey portfolio.
The resulting Kentucky Boy release is intended to serve as something of a liquid retrospective of Morris’ influence on Brown-Forman and the broader Kentucky bourbon industry.
Kentucky Boy will make its debut Sept. 10 at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. Beginning at 10 a.m. ET Sept. 11, a limited number of bottles will also be available at Old Forester Distillery in Louisville, through the Old Forester online store for shipping to locations where permitted and at select Kentucky retailers.
Old Forester will also host a special Kentucky Boy release celebration with Morris from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Louisville distillery.
Morris began his career with Brown-Forman in 1976, eventually becoming the fifth master distiller in Old Forester’s history. His influence, however, would extend well beyond Old Forester.
Morris became a guiding force behind Woodford Reserve and helped shape the premium bourbon movement through experimentation with maturation, barrel finishes and flavor development. During his career, he has been closely associated with some of Brown-Forman’s most sought-after American whiskeys, including Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and King of Kentucky, while his work with Woodford Reserve helped establish the brand as a major name in premium whiskey around the world.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to have played a role in the renaissance of Kentucky bourbon,” Morris said. “Seeing consumers appreciate bourbon on a level historically afforded that of Single Malt Scotch and Cognac is most gratifying. I am confident that future generations of Kentucky bourbon distillers will continue to build upon the momentum we started nearly 50 years ago.”
While the whiskey itself is new, the Kentucky Boy name has roots stretching back more than a century.
Brown-Forman selected the name from its extensive archives as part of the company’s 150-year history. The company originally acquired the Kentucky Boy label in 1923 when it purchased Louisville’s Lynndale Distillery during Prohibition.
Kentucky Boy was marketed through the 1940s with a Thoroughbred racing theme before eventually disappearing from the marketplace. The brand remained dormant for decades before Brown-Forman chose to resurrect it for Morris’ 50th anniversary.
The decision creates an especially Kentucky-centric connection. A historic whiskey label once marketed around Thoroughbred racing has returned to celebrate a distiller whose career spans much of bourbon’s transformation from a traditional American spirit into a global premium category.
The racing connection will also extend beyond the Kentucky Boy label. Brown-Forman said a portion of the net proceeds from bottle sales will benefit Second Stride, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the professional rehabilitation, retraining and placement of retired Thoroughbred racehorses.
For bourbon collectors, Kentucky Boy checks several boxes that could make the bottle particularly desirable: a historic Brown-Forman brand name, limited availability, a one-time release and a direct connection to one of Kentucky bourbon’s most respected distillers.
At $99.99 and 100 proof, the bottle will likely attract interest not only from longtime Brown-Forman collectors but also fans of Old Forester, Woodford Reserve and Morris’ other whiskey projects.
More importantly, Kentucky Boy represents an unusual convergence of Brown-Forman’s past and present. A whiskey label acquired during Prohibition has been brought back more than a century later to recognize a distiller whose 50-year career helped shape bourbon’s modern era.
For a man who spent five decades helping write Kentucky bourbon history, Brown-Forman found a fitting tribute buried within its own.
Brown-Forman
Brown-Forman Corporation is a global leader in the spirits industry, responsibly building exceptional beverage alcohol brands for more than 155 years. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, we are guided by our founding promise, “Nothing Better in the Market.” Our premium portfolio includes the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, New Mix, el Jimador, Herradura, The Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, Benriach, Diplomático Rum, Gin Mare, Fords Gin, Chambord, and Slane. With approximately 4,900 employees worldwide, we proudly share our passion for fine-quality spirits in more than 170 countries. Learn more at brown-forman.com.
