10/06/2026
He wouldn't understand what the fuss is about.
107 years ago today, a kid was born in Timaru.
He'd talk a Bailiff out of taking the family farm at fourteen, then pay the debt off himself. He'd be turned away from the army for being too short and serve his community another way instead: a self-taught barber, 48 years behind the chair. And he'd become the founding story behind the Gold Coast's first ever craft distillery, now five generations strong and still sharing his stories.
He never thought he was remarkable.
But five generations telling his story, 180,000+ customers, multiple locations and ten export countries would say otherwise. It's a pretty remarkable one.
He just reckoned the good stuff was for sharing, and nobody should drink alone. So that's how we marked it: a fine glass of the whiskey that carries his name, a candle in a slice of sticky date pudding, and a seat pulled up to share a drink and a few stories about him.
Come do the same, we're at the distillery today. And tell us about your Granddad in the comments. Getting everyone together was the only thing that ever really mattered to him.
Happy 107th, Granddad. 🥃🕯️
