Gold Coast distillery Grandad Jack’s wins top gong at San Francisco World Spirits Competition

A Gold Coast boutique craft distillery officially has the best coffee liqueur in the world. Here’s where you can find it.

AUSTRALIA’S youngest commercial distiller Luke Ridden officially has the best coffee liqueur in the world.

Luke, 23, and his dad David Ridden, owners of Granddad Jack’s craft distillery in Miami, won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition with their Barbershop Coffee Liqueur.

Head distiller Luke Ridden pours a shot of world beating Barbershop Coffee Liqueur at the Granddad Jack’s Miami distillery. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Luke said it was “pretty special” to claim the top

gong after 40 judges blind taste-tested their liqueur against 20 other entries.

“I still can’t believe it,” he said.

“It has been really fun being creative and thinking beyond what other people are doing with spirits.”

Granddad Jack’s is the only craft distillery in Queensland to have been awarded the double gold medal at the competition.

The liqueur, infused with coconut, eucalyptus and Burleigh’s Social Espresso coffee, is a nod to David Ridden’s late grandfather, David Goulding.

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Luke Ridden and David Ridden in the distillery. Picture: Jerad Williams

“David, aka my Granddad Jack, loved to add something a little extra to his favourite brew,” David Ridden said.

“That’s why we created a next-level coffee liqueur named to honour the

40-plus years he spent working as a barber.

“I think he would be proud of our win.”

The distillery also won a silver medal with its 65 Miles Gin and a bronze medal for

its Greenhouse Gin.