Copper Rivet Distillery
Copper Rivet Distillery is a private UK craft distillery operating from Chatham Historic Dockyard, producing whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs from locally grown Kentish grain and selling direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce site, on-site bar, and distillery experiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Copper Rivet Distillery does
Copper Rivet Distillery is a privately-held, craft spirits producer operating from Pump House No. 5 at Chatham's Historic Dockyard in the United Kingdom. Founded in 2016, the company manufactures whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs through a vertically integrated farm-to-glass process using Kentish grain sourced within 20 miles of the distillery. Its core product portfolio spans four sub-brands: Masthouse (whisky, including Single Malt Signature, Reserve, Grain, and limited editions), Dockyard (gin variants — Dry, Navy Strength, Strawberry, Damson — plus Cherries and Berries Liqueur and Vodka), Vela (premium vodka), and Son of a Gun (short-maturation grain spirit and coffee liqueur).
The company's production technology centers on two proprietary assets: a unique 10-metre tall, 40-plate copper hybrid still used for whisky and grain spirit, and the world's only patented gin still (Janet), which delivers 10% energy savings and 75% waste reduction versus industry-standard stills. Additional technical differentiators include a minimum 7-day low-temperature fermentation and lower ABV cask filling at 58% (versus 60-65% industry standard), producing measurable gains in angel's share retention and signature smoothness.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with three primary revenue streams: online e-commerce (copperrivetdistillery.com), on-site retail and The Pumproom Bar restaurant at the distillery, and paid experiential offerings (Gin Tour £20, Whisky Tour £25, Cocktail Masterclass £40, Whisky Blending Masterclass £100) bundled with complimentary tastings and a £5 bottle discount per tour. The company does not disclose third-party retail, distributor, or export relationships, and operates exclusively within the United Kingdom. Strategic partnerships are limited to local Kentish farmer grain sourcing, a £5-per-bottle charitable link to the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity via Navy Strength Gin, and board participation in Visit Kent.
Copper Rivet Distillery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Copper Rivet Distillery
- Legal name
- Copper Rivet Distillery
- Website
- https://copperrivetdistillery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Copper Rivet Distillery is a private UK craft distillery operating from Chatham Historic Dockyard, producing whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs from locally grown Kentish grain and selling direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce site, on-site bar, and distillery experiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Copper Rivet Distillery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Copper Rivet Distillery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirits Product Sales: Direct sales of whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueur products to consumers through the company's own e-commerce platform and on-site at the distillery. Products include Masthouse Single Malt Whisky (Signature £45, Reserve £59), Masthouse Grain Whisky (£42), Masthouse Guardian (£65), Son of a Gun (£14.50-£32), Vela Vodka (£13-£28.50), Dockyard Vodka (£29), Dockyard Gin (£13-£29.95), Dockyard Navy Strength Gin (£35), Dockyard Strawberry Gin (£32), Dockyard Damson Gin (£13-£29), Dockyard Cherries and Berries Liqueur (£24.50), and Son of a Gun Coffee Liqueur (£11.75-£23). Gift sets and vouchers also sold.
- Experiences and Tours: Revenue from paid distillery experiences including Gin Tour (£20), Whisky Tour (£25), Cocktail Masterclass (£40), and Whisky Blending Masterclass (£100). Gift vouchers sold at various price points (£15-£100). Experiences include guided tours of the facility, spirits tastings, and discounts on bottle purchases.
- On-site Restaurant and Bar (The Pumproom Bar): The distillery operates an on-site restaurant and cocktail bar — The Pumproom Bar — serving food and Copper Rivet cocktails to visitors. Complimentary cocktails included with tour bookings. Drives ancillary revenue from dining alongside spirits sales.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masthouse Single Malt (Signature) — 45.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masthouse Single Malt Whisky (Reserve) — £59.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masthouse Grain Whisky — £42.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masthouse Guardian (Limited Edition) — £65.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Son of a Gun Grain Spirit — £14.50 (20cl), £32.00 (70cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Son of the Sea — £36.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Gin — £13.00 (20cl), £29.95 (70cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Gin Navy Strength — £35.00 (50cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Gin Strawberry — £32.00 (50cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Gin Damson — £13.00 (20cl), £29.00 (50cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Cherries and Berries Spirit Liqueur — £24.50 (70cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vela Vodka — £13.00 (20cl), £28.50 (50cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dockyard Craft Vodka — £29.00 (70cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Son of a Gun Coffee Liqueur — £11.75 (20cl), £23.00 (50cl) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gin Tour Voucher — £20.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Whisky Tour Voucher — £25.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cocktail Masterclass Voucher — £40.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Whisky Blending Masterclass — £100.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Masthouse Whisky Explorer's Pack — £35.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gin Gift Set (5cl Trio) — £15.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 20cl Dockyard Gin and Damson Duo Gift Set — £26.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gin Duo with Jigger and Cocktail Stirrer Gift Box — Price TBC |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | £25 Gift Voucher |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Copper Rivet Distillery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Copper Rivet Distillery is a UK craft distillery producing small-batch whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs from locally grown Kentish grain in a farm-to-glass process. The company uses a unique combination of traditional copper pot stills and a patented 10-metre tall 40-plate copper hybrid still, plus the world's only patented gin still. In addition to spirits sales, the distillery operates The Pumproom Bar restaurant and offers paid distillery tours, tasting experiences, cocktail masterclasses, and whisky blending masterclasses.
Product overview
Copper Rivet Distillery is a craft spirits producer based at Chatham's Historic Dockyard, offering a portfolio of luxury whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs under the Masthouse Whisky and Dockyard Spirits brands. The core product lines include: Masthouse Whisky family (Single Malt Signature, Single Malt Reserve, Single Grain Whisky, and limited editions like Masthouse Guardian and Son of the Sea); Dockyard Gin range (original, Navy Strength, Damson, Strawberry variants); Son of a Gun spirits (grain spirit and coffee liqueur); and Dockyard Vodka and Vela Vodka. The distillery also offers experiential tourism through whisky tasting tours, gin tasting experiences, whisky blending masterclasses, and cocktail masterclasses, sold as vouchers and gift sets. The company produces spirits from grain to glass using locally grown Kentish grain with their unique hybrid still technology including a patented gin still.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Masthouse: Luxury whisky brand including Single Malt (Signature), Single Malt Reserve, Single Grain Whisky, and special releases like Masthouse Guardian and Masthouse Explorer Pack.
- Dockyard
- Vela
- Son of a Gun
Products and services
- Masthouse Single Malt (Signature) Pot and column distilled single malt whisky made from Kentish malted barley, aged in first-fill American Oak Bourbon barrels. Features vanilla, toffee apple, dried plantain, and peppery finish. 70cl, £45.00.
- Masthouse Single Malt Whisky (Reserve) Double copper pot distilled single malt whisky with tropical fruits, floral, citrus and dark chocolate notes. Made from 100% Kentish malted barley. 70cl, £59.00.
- Masthouse Grain Whisky Single grain whisky celebrating Kentish wheat, barley and rye varieties, pot distilled then rectified through 40 copper sieve plates for a smooth, easy-drinking spirit. 70cl, £42.00.
- Masthouse Guardian Limited edition single malt whisky commemorating HMS Guardian, launched from Chatham Dockyard. Blend of double pot distilled and pot & column distilled whiskies from casks 206, 215, 174, 125. Sweet summer fruits and cinnamon spice notes. £65.00.
- Son of a Gun New make single grain whisky aged 8 weeks in ex-bourbon casks at 47.4% ABV. Tropical fruit, floral, vanilla honey oats. 20cl £14.50, 70cl £32.00.
- Son of the Sea Cask-finished malt spirit aged 2 months in ex-Bourbon casks. Light and refreshing, pure expression of new make spirit. £36.00.
- Dockyard Gin Contemporary naval gin distilled in patented copper still Janet with juniper, citrus floral top notes, sweet spicy mid notes. 20cl £13.00, 70cl £29.95.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10% energy savings, 75% waste/by-product reduction, 3% botanicals savings in gin production vs industry standard stills
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Copper Rivet Distillery
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Copper Rivet Distillery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Copper Rivet Distillery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Visit KentcoreCompany founder/management serves on the board of Visit Kent, which promotes the £4bn Kent visitor economy. This drives regional tourism awareness and positions the distillery as a key attraction in Kent's visitor economy.
- Royal Navy Royal Marines CharityminorFor every bottle of Dockyard Navy Strength Gin sold (£5 contribution per bottle), a donation is made to the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity which supports veterans and the families of the fallen. Ties product sales to charitable cause with marketing benefit.
- Local Universities (Kent)minorThe company works with local universities researching uses for by-products and waste from the distilling process, supporting sustainability innovation and potential R&D output.
- Local Kentish FarmerscoreGrain is grown within 20 miles of the distillery in partnership with local farmers. This is central to the company's farm-to-glass positioning and gives spirits among the lowest food miles in the industry. Spent grain is returned to farms as animal feed.
- Kelvin CooperageminorMentioned in editorial content about casks. Kelvin Cooperage (Louisville, US) is a renowned barrel supplier. Copper Rivet Distillery sources first-fill American Oak Bourbon barrels from suppliers such as Kelvin Cooperage for whisky maturation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Copper Rivet Distillery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Lakes Distillery: English craft distillery producing single malt whisky, gin, and vodka with a strong on-site visitor experience (tours, tastings, bistro) at a heritage lakeside location. Closely comparable in farm-to-glass positioning, multi-category portfolio, and tourism-led GTM.
- Cotswolds Distillery: English craft producer of single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs with a working farm-to-bottle model and on-site tours, tastings, and shop. Directly comparable in single malt focus, locally sourced grain, and experiential GTM.
- Sipsmith: London-based craft gin distillery with copper pot stills, on-site tours/tastings, and a broader UK and international distribution footprint. Comparable in craft gin positioning, copper-pot production, and visitor experience-led brand building.
- Chase Distillery: English farm-to-bottle distillery producing gin, vodka, and liqueurs from estate-grown potatoes and grain, with on-site tours and a restaurant. Highly comparable in farm-sourced raw materials, multi-category spirits, and on-site food/drink venue model.
- Warner Edwards Distillery: English craft gin and whisky distillery operating from a restored barn on a working farm, with a strong experiential tourism offering (tours, tastings, gin school). Comparable in gin-led craft portfolio, farm-based heritage, and tour/tasting-led revenue mix.
- East London Liquor Company: London-based craft distillery producing gin, vodka, rum, and whisky with a visitor-focused bar and experience venue. Comparable in multi-spirit craft portfolio, on-site bar/tasting room model, and premium positioning in a London-adjacent market.
- Adnams Copper House Distillery: English brewery-and-distillery group producing gin, vodka, and whisky at a copper-still distillery attached to its brewery, with on-site shop and tours. Comparable in copper-still production, multi-category spirits, and integrated food/drink/hospitality model.
Emerging players
- Whitley Neill Gin: English craft gin brand distributed nationally and internationally, focused on botanically-led flavour innovation. Comparable in craft gin positioning and flavour-extension strategy (e.g., flavoured/cocktail gins), with a much broader distribution footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Tanqueray: Global premium gin brand owned by Diageo, including a London-distilled expression at a historic distillery with visitor experiences. Comparable in gin focus, London/UK production heritage, and on-site tour component, but at vastly greater scale.
Regional players
- Stirling Distillery: Scottish craft distillery producing gin and whisky with a strong on-site tour and tasting experience in Stirling. Comparable in multi-spirit craft portfolio and tour-led GTM, but operating in the Scottish market rather than England.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Copper Rivet Distillery social profiles
Digital presenceCopper Rivet Distillery compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Copper Rivet Distillery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Copper Rivet Distillery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Copper Rivet Distillery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Copper Rivet Distillery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Copper Rivet Distillery
What does Copper Rivet Distillery do?
Copper Rivet Distillery is a UK craft distillery producing small-batch whisky, gin, vodka, and liqueurs from locally grown Kentish grain in a farm-to-glass process. The company uses a unique combination of traditional copper pot stills and a patented 10-metre tall 40-plate copper hybrid still, plus the world's only patented gin still. In addition to spirits sales, the distillery operates The Pumproom Bar restaurant and offers paid distillery tours, tasting experiences, cocktail masterclasses, and whisky blending masterclasses.
Is Copper Rivet Distillery a public or private company?
Copper Rivet Distillery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Copper Rivet Distillery founded?
Copper Rivet Distillery was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Copper Rivet Distillery based?
Copper Rivet Distillery is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Copper Rivet Distillery make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Spirits Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are experiences and Tours and on-site Restaurant and Bar (The Pumproom Bar).
Who are Copper Rivet Distillery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Lakes Distillery, Cotswolds Distillery, Sipsmith, Chase Distillery, Warner Edwards Distillery, East London Liquor Company and Adnams Copper House Distillery. Whitley Neill Gin is listed as an emerging player. Tanqueray is listed as a broad incumbent. Stirling Distillery is listed as a regional player.
Does Copper Rivet Distillery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Copper Rivet Distillery.