Old Forester names distillery manager

Brown-Forman has appointed Juan Merizalde Carrillo as distillery manager for its Old Forester Distillery, at the same time announcing that the site’s opening has been pushed back once again to late spring 2018.

Juan Merizalde Carrillo has been named distillery manager for Old Forester

The Jack Daniel’s producer first announced plans to open the US$45 million distillery, located on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row, in 2014.

Initially slated to open by autumn 2016, the opening was pushed back to late 2016, and again to late spring 2018. Some work was delayed by a fire that spread across Whiskey Row in 2015.

The site, which will double production of Old Forester, will also feature a visitors’ centre, offering tours, a tasting room, Bourbon-production demonstrations and exhibitions.

Brown-Forman has now announced that Juan Merizalde Carrillo, who has held various senior positions within its operations team, will act as distillery manager for Old Forester.

Merizalde Carrillo joined the group’s research and development lab team in 2007 and has since assumed various roles in quality, operations, and corporate engineering, as well as a management position at Jack Daniel Distillery.

He joins Old Forester president Campbell Brown; master taster Jackie Zykan; and Brown-Forman master distiller Chris Morris on the team. Merizalde Carrillo will oversee production for all Old Forester brands in his role, leading the operations team at Old Forester Distillery.

Brown-Forman project manager Mike Beach will continue to oversee the distillery construction, while Merizalde Carrillo will handle whisky production moving forward.

“Juan’s balance of technical expertise, passion for crafting great Bourbon, and success in leading high performing teams makes him the ideal leader for this truly authentic urban distillery on Whiskey Row,” said senior vice president, general manager of Brown-Forman Brands, Leanne Cunningham.