“Sloe Gin” takes place in the speaker’s pantry — a room that is less common today than it was in Seamus Heaney’s time. Normally, these would be on the ground floor or the basement and would serve as long-term storage for food. As Heaney came from an agricultural family in a rural village, this room would have been an essential part of the household. This is where the gin is being stored as it ages, and the scent released from the jar symbolizes the intrinsic connection between the room and food. Rather than being simply a storage cupboard, it’s a place that houses memories and a connection to the land.