A Day in the Life of a Whisky Distillery – With Copper Rivet

Ever wondered what a typical day looks like at a whisky distillery? 

We spent the day at Copper Rivet Distillery in Chatham, Kent, to see how the magic happens – and got a rare glimpse at the meticulous, mad, and marvellous work that goes into every drop.

The team kindly guided us around for a true whisky geek’s guide. We got seriously technical about fermentation. Discussed the ability for English whisky to innovate and evolve. We tasted EVERYTHING. And we caught it all on camera. 

Watch the Tour

We got stuck into every corner of the distillery and filmed the whole thing. 

Watch it to see what it’s like to experience a working whisky distillery in full flow, and hear directly from the folks behind the stills.

It’s like a masterclass, just with better lighting. And I’m wearing a leather jacket. Very cool. You can view it here or head to our YouTube channel now.

Read more about Copper Rivet Distillery here

Dockyard roots, distilling future

Let’s rewind. Chatham was once a thriving hub of the maritime industry, helping to power the engines of Britain’s naval empire. The Navy pulled out of its Dockyard in the early 1980s, and the town’s fortunes dropped like a lead anchor.

In recent years, Chatham Dockyard has been revived as something of a cultural hub, divided between a World Heritage Site, a commercial port, and a marina complete with an entertainment and retail complex. Part of the latter is a distillery, founded by the Russell family in 2015.

They had an ambitious plan: to put Chatham back on the map. Not with battleships, but with bold, innovative spirits.

Copper Rivet Distillery officially opened in 2016 – one of the UK’s only true farm-to-glass distilleries. That means the team controls everything from the grain to the glass, including the design and build of its own stills. Yes, it literally reinvented the gin still. And has a patent to prove it.

Engineering meets artistry

There’s something satisfying about watching engineers talk about whisky like it’s jazz. Every cog, every pipe, every mash tun and condenser has a reason to exist. But the distilling isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about expressing character. And Copper Rivet’s team know exactly what kind of personality they want their spirits to have.

A typical day starts with mashing and fermentation – and we mean proper fermentation. Long, slow, carefully controlled, and constantly tweaked to enhance flavour. 

Then there’s the distillation, which is where the real artistry begins. Stills built from scratch with very specific flavour outcomes in mind. Spirits that are designed, not just distilled.

Making Masthouse Whisky

If Copper Rivet is the engine, Masthouse is the flagship. It’s the name under which they release their whisky – and it’s bloody good. 

Masthouse whiskies are made in Chatham using locally grown grain with obsessive attention to detail. The Single Malt, Column Malt, and Pot & Column releases each bring something different to the glass, but all are unmistakably Masthouse: clean, elegant, and packed with flavour.

But the range doesn’t stop at whisky. There’s also the award-winning Dockyard Gin, crafted with the same scientific precision and flair for flavour, Vela Vodka, a spirit that actually tastes of something (imagine that), and The Son of a Gun range, comprisd of spirit made from a trio of grains distilled in Copper Rivet’s pot still, then briefly aged in oak before bottling.

Why distillery visits matter

Whisky tourism often gets sold as a scenic trip through rolling hills and ancient stone warehouses. But the value runs deeper than a photo-op. Touring a distillery – really touring it – changes the way you think about whisky.

You begin to appreciate the gear shifts between science and art. You see the human hands (and brains) behind the machines. You understand what goes into creating a consistent house style and why that matters.

As someone based in Kent, visiting Copper Rivet is a brilliant reminder that world-class distilling isn’t confined to the Highlands. It’s happening right here, in a town with an industrial heartbeat and a newfound purpose.

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