Death Gin is now only available in the North East and Melbourne but has already attracted inquiries from as far away as Germany since its first release in September.

Rutherglen man Matt Gillman came up with the business idea after sharing a few drinks with mates over a couple of months.

He was inspired by a drive down Distillery Road at Wahgunyah, a cemetery and his preoccupation with skulls.

Mr Gillman’s sister Carla Walsh, their cousins Andrew and Thomas Gillman and friend Cameron Bailey shared his vision for the uniquely-branded spirit.

Ms Walsh, the owner of Rutherglen Florist, said the idea behind the branding was simply to live life to the fullest.

She said MM was stamped into the wax cap of each bottle of gin.

“Death Gin is like a ‘memento mori’,” she said.

“It’s an object that acts as a reminder of the inevitability of death, but is not morbid; it is a reminder to live life to the fullest.”

Melbourne friends Sarah Purches, Michael Sanders and Jason Robinson joined the business venture at the outset.

Death Gin is made from a long list of botanicals in small batches in the Melbourne suburb Collingwood. 

Five batches have been made since September with a coffee-infused variety added to the mix in the second batch.

Thomas Gillman, a Rivalea leading hand, said he was a newcomer to gin. 

“We’d never really drank it before,” he said.

“A mate of mine who was purely a VB drinker tried it and then wanted to buy a bottle the next week.

“We’re converting people to gin!”

Rutherglen businesses The Star Hotel, Thousand Pound, James & Co Wines cellar door, Scion Wine cellar door and Vallhalla Wines cellar door offer Death Gin on their drinks menus while Rutherglen IGA stocks it.

Border businesses The Goods Shed, Two Fingers and Miss Amelie offer Death Gin on their drinks menus and The Premix King stocks it.

An afternoon at James & Co featuring Death Gin will run at the Main Street cellar door on August 26 from 2pm.