After a year of experimenting, York Gin Distillery have announced that their much-loved Grey Lady gin is back.
The Grey Lady was discontinued in 2023 after the supplier of the Earl Grey tea used to flavour the gin retired.
Inspired by one of York’s most famous ghosts, the Medieval Grey Lady reportedly haunts the city’s Theatre Royal.
The friendly ghost is said to haunt the dress circle of the theatre. Mad Alice, one of York’s top tour guides and ghouls expert, was on hand at the theatre to relaunch the gin.
The York Gin team said after a lengthy taste-testing period, they’ve managed to crack the spell of the Grey Lady.
They have combined the botanicals from their award-winning London Dry gin with a new Earl Grey tea blend, distilled orange and lemon peel, and butterfly pea flower to give the gin a ‘haunting blue-grey hue’.
Customers have been eagerly awaiting the return of the award-winning flavour, according to York Gin’s retail manager Jenny O’hara.
She added: “It’s been a recurring theme. Every day for the last year, at least a couple of customers have asked if the Grey Lady has come back. It’s a dream come true for Halloween.”
Natalie Hall, director of York Gin owner York Drinks, said: ‘We’ve cracked the mystery of the Grey Lady! Our distillery team’s resolute efforts have been rewarded – and we have a stunning Grey Lady gin to share with the world. Just in time for Fright Night.
‘The gin is coming back initially for the Spooky Season of October – with a limited run. If the relaunch proves popular we will consider making it a permanent part of the range again’
Sales of the gin are currently limited to six bottles per online order, to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the Grey Lady’s resurrection this Halloween.
You can purchase the York Gin Grey Lady at York Gin shops from Saturday 19th October, it’s also available to pre-order online.
For those wanting to immerse themselves into the spooky season, the gin will be the focal point of a Ghostly Gin tasting at the York Gin shop on Halloween (31 October).
The evening will delve into the haunting tales of York along with Grey Lady cocktails in the Century Thomas Herbert House, tickets are available here.