Get into the Spirit of Eyam® 1665 Black as Death Gin!

Our inspiration is the local village of Eyam for this totally unique hand crafted botanically dry gin, infused with mallow and hibiscus blossom to give it its dark and forbidding colour. The story is as follows and this will explain both the date of 1665 and the plague mask image on the bottles label.

You can buy a bottle here

The Black Death, or bubonic plague, struck the village of Eyam in Derbyshire, England in 1665, leaving a lasting impact on the community.

Origin

The plague likely arrived in Eyam in a bale of cloth from London, carrying fleas that were activated by the heat. The first victim was George Viccars, a tailor's assistant who opened the bale.

Quarantine

The village's rector, William Mompesson, led a campaign to quarantine the village to prevent the plague from spreading. The villagers remained in the village and were supplied with provisions by people outside.

Death Toll

The plague lasted 14 months and tragically claimed the lives of 36% of the village's population. The church in Eyam recorded 273 plague victims, highlighting the devastating impact of the disease.

Legacy

Despite the immense loss, Eyam is known as the "plague village" and is famous for the heroic sacrifice of its residents. Their selfless actions in choosing to isolate themselves to prevent the spread of the disease have been celebrated as a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

In the words of a Victorian local Historian William Wood… “Let all who tread the green fields of Eyam remember, with feelings of awe and veneration, that beneath their feet repose the ashes of those moral heroes, who with a sublime, heroic and unparalleled resolution gave up their lives, yea doomed themselves to pestilential death to save the surrounding country. Their self sacrifice is unequalled in the annals of the world.”

Watch the reel below of Bec making this wonderous spirit using her own medieval alchemy!