A Day in the Life of… A Distiller

Gill Sherry

Caroline and Struan Christie, both born and raised in Ayrshire, are very experienced in the whisky industry. However, by complete chance, they found themselves moving to Millport earlier this year to run a gin distillery. They are now the primary distillers at Cumbrae Distillers Ltd where four different gins are produced.

The distillery was first established in 2019 by five ladies with a passion for the island. The ladies had a five-year plan whereafter they would pass the torch, and this is where Caroline and Struan’s story begins, although, one of the founders, Juli Dempsey, is still a partner and remains active in the distillery.

We caught up with the couple to hear all about their distilling role and to find out what they like (and dislike) about gin making.

What training did you need to do?
We both received intensive training from a few different master distillers over several months.

What do you like best about being a distiller?
The job is so much more than distilling. We are responsible for growing the business and creating new and exciting products. We get a real buzz from creating the next thing to come. There is something about bringing an idea to life that is so satisfying. And we love seeing the end product.

Do you dislike anything about your job?
Honestly, no. The job has its challenges, but it’s so rewarding and definitely the best thing we have both done.

How many hours a week do you normally work?
Usually anywhere between 40-50 hours a week, although, additional hours may be required.

What time does your working day usually start?
On a distilling day, the working day usually begins at 7am.

Can you briefly describe what a typical day involves?
We are quite a multi-faceted little distillery. We have two parts of our day-to-day which involves our shop at the front where people can by our gin and book tours, and through the rear of the building where our production takes place from Mon-Thurs, and then tours take place Fri-Sun. This is quite a tight turnaround. During a week of production, we will generally prep the still on Monday with our botanicals and spirit, do our distillation on Tuesday where we monitor the quality, alcohol by volume (ABV), temperature and safety gauges, then bottle and label across Wednesday and Thursday, all while the shop remains open through the front. So, it is a busy week. Weekends then involve tours where people can learn all about the history of gin, Cumbrae, and also sample our products right where the gin is created. So a typical week is easier to define than a typical day.

One piece of advice for someone looking to become a distiller?
Network and make connections within the industry.

What would you be if you weren’t a distiller?
If we hadn’t have become distillers, we would likely still be in the corporate world, but now we get to wake up on a Scottish island, living the dream.

Career highlight so far?
Winning best gin distillery tour 2024 in Scotland.

If you had to sum up your job in one word, what would it be?
Exhilarating.