What is gin?
Gin is a spirit that gains its main aroma through the distillation of juniper. Indeed, the term gin is mostly defined by its flavour and less by the ingredients that are used. For the production, a neutral spirit is used, which can be refined with different botanicals.
What is sloe gin?
Sloe is also known as blackthorn. Sloe Gin is the name of a red liqueur which is made from gin and sloe drupes.
The Sloe
The sloe, blackthorn or prunus spinosa is a species of flowering plant and belongs to the family of Rosaceae. Due to its tart flavour, sloe drupes cannot be consumed like other fruits and berries. However, there is prove that people have been collecting sloe drupes since the Stone Age. Back then, the colour of the fruit was used to create a type of ink. Today, it is known that the fruits of the blackthorn have a antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect.
How is sloe gin produced?
Sloe gin is produced from ripe sloes which are traditionally picked after the first forest. After the harvest, the sloe drupes are stored in broad jars with sugar and gin at a dark, cool place. To create a consistent result, the jars are turned over once per day during the first two weeks of storage. Afterwards, they are turned once a week for two and a half months.
Before the bottling, the sloe rests have to be removed, for example through a gentle filtering process. The producer may also choose to add more sugar if a sweeter aroma is desired.
Not every sloe gin makes it into the bottle. The aromatic gin is often used for the production of marmalade, pastries and candy.
The history of sloe gin
The invention of the sloe gin happened rather accidentally. When the English parliament passed a series of enclosure laws, many farms started using hedges to separate the land. The blackthorn was perfectly suited for this purpose due to its thick growth. Of course, the farmers didn’t want to waste the fruits – however, the drupes with their unusual tart flavour were unpalatable.
It didn’t take long until the rural population found another use for the curious plant: Through the maceration in alcohol, the full-bodied aromas could be extracted and separated from the tarter notes of the fruits.
Unfortunately, the quality of the gin at the time left much to be desired and the sloe gin did not enjoy a good reputation for a long time. It took until the 19th century that the liqueur was re-discovered by the upper class, which led to many traditional distilleries adding sloe gin to their assortment.
How to drink sloe gin?
In England, sloe gin was traditionally consumed for warming up on cold winter days. When the Americans discovered the sloe gin, they invented a more summery drinking tradition: Together with lemon juice and soda water, the sloe gin was made into the tangy Sloe Gin Fizz. Another classic sloe gin cocktail is the millionaire, which contains lime juice, rum, grenadine and apricot brandy.
Of course, sloe gin can also be enjoyed pure. A combination of sloe gin and tonic water, however, is rather unusual and demands a splash of lemon juice.
What special brands produce sloe gin?
The most popular brands that produce sloe gin include Monkey 47, Gordon’s and Hayman’s. The gin revival of the last few years has also led to many modern brands like Elephant Gin offering tasty sloe gins among other products.
Sloe Gin at Gustero
We at Gustero want to offer you the best selection of fine sloe gins. That’s why our assortment of sloe gin is small but excellent. In our shop, you will find traditional classics like the Gordon’s Sloe Gin as well as innovative newcomers like the Monkey 47 Black Forest Sloe Gin. Browse our assortment now and try different varieties of the aromatic sloe liqueur!
