Gold Coast based Craft Distillery supporting our community and small businesses. Our Tasting Room is open for bottle sales from 10am - 6pm and you can also purchase online.

David Goulding, aka 'Granddad Jack' was born on the 11th June 1919 in the small town of Timaru in the South Island of New Zealand. From a very young age, he was called upon to provide for his family and himself as his father, unfortunately, passed away eight months before Granddad Jack was born.

At thirteen, Granddad Jack and a friend set out on an epic sixty-five-mile journey, riding their bikes to a sheep station looking for work; carrying with them only a small canteen made from a syrup tin, their lunch and a bottle of homemade whiskey. After leaving in the early hours, they arrived at three o'clock showing very little fatigue. It was such a hike that it made the local newspaper!

After several months working at the sheep station, Granddad Jack returned to his family home. Just as he had arrived, the bailiff knocked on the door and told Granddad Jack that nothing had been paid on the farm in four years!

It's hard to picture, but at the age of fourteen Granddad Jack negotiated his way around the bailiff and was able to buy more time, promising to make payment in full over the next few months. He must have been a very smooth talker as the bailiff took his word and over the next few months Granddad Jack worked hard to fulfil his promise and managed to pay the debt in full. Not a bad effort for a young lad when in the 1930's the best you could earn was a pound a week!

Our '65 Miles Navy Strength' Gin is a tribute to his dedication, integrity and all-around hard arse nature. This navy-strength, full flavour, spiced gin represents all of his adventures and the tough roads he travelled throughout his early years.

Picture of online orders that are ready to go at Granddad’s Jacks Distillery.

Consumers receive a notification when their orders are ready and can book a time and day when they want to get their order. This ensures we can maintain social distancing guidelines and the safety of you and our staff.

During the war, Granddad Jack obtained his trotting licence. He purchased a racehorse named 'Sack Cloth' but it never did any good on the track. Instead, legend says that he purchased full-size pencils, broke them in half, sharpened both ends and sold them individually for a penny each; more than doubling his money!

Our 'Two Pencils' Gin represents just that. A perfectly balanced, juniper-infused dry gin.

Granddad Jack was never one to miss an opportunity. One day he spotted a barbershop standing empty. This was the beginning of what became a very long and respected career as the local barber. He ran a very successful business for forty-eight years, retiring at the age of seventy in 89' where he was still only charging $4 per cut! He may have been a hard-arse but he was fair.

Granddad Jack lived a great life, full of memories and adventures which he loved to share with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He passed away at the ripe old age of ninety-three and up until that point stood by his greatest reason for reaching an old age; that "a glass of fine whiskey a day keeps the doctors at bay". We're certain that he still carries on this tradition wherever he may be.

He loved sitting with friends and family in his backyard by the greenhouse, sipping whiskey and chatting all afternoon amongst his garden. This is what inspired us to create the recipe for our Greenhouse Gin; at 37% ABV, it's a smooth, clean botanical gin that you can make friends with.

Now his grandson, David Ridden, and great-grandson, Luke Ridden have continued his legacy by producing their very own take on Granddad Jacks' whiskey series; an old family recipe that's been kept secret for close to 90 years.

A memorial card passed around to friends and family at his funeral perfectly summarised his time here on Earth...

"Like the Christchurch Cathedral, an icon has gone - a gentleman".

As you sit in our Tasting Room and look around, raise a glass to him and immerse yourself in the life of the legend that once was David Goulding, best known by all "Granddad Jack".

David Goulding, this one's for you.