Sloe gin is a red liqueur flavored with sloe berries, which is the fruit of the blackthorn- a relative of the plum. Traditionally, sloe gin was made my infusing real sloe berries in gin. Sloe berries, while intensely flavored are also very sour, so sugar was often added to sweeten the result.
Today, it is more common to find commercially-available sloe gins made by adding artificial coloring and flavoring to neutral grain spirits in order to produce an inexpensive, almost cloyingly sweet cordial. And over time, these over-sweetened liqueurs were delegated to colorings in fruity concoctions like the Alabama Slammer or Sloe Comfortable Screw.
But appreciating Sloe Gin just became easier a few weeks ago, when Plymouth Sloe Gin — a bona fide sloe gin from the English producers of Plymouth gin, and distilled from an 1883 recipe — arrived at Premier Liquor in Orchard Park.
Made with only fresh sloe berries, Plymouth Gin, water, and a minimal amount of sugar, this deep ruby red spirit strikes a perfect balance between sweet, tart, and bitter.
Plymouth is only exporting about 1,000 cases to the United States, primarily due to demand from “the new experimental bartenders looking back to old cocktails,” so this is admittedly a hard-to-come-by commodity.
Sloe gin can be enjoyed 'straight', as an aperitif, or warming after dinner drink in front of the fire. It is also an fabulous ingredient in many cocktails, due to its rich and intense flavor.
Here are some cocktails using real Plymouth Sloe Gin. Don't try these with a cheaper brand, or you'll be disappointed with the results!
San Francisco
3/4 oz Plymouth sloe gin
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz dry vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Shake in iced cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Blackthorn
2 oz Plymouth sloe gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Real Sloe Gin Fizz
1½ oz Plymouth sloe gin
½ oz gin
¾ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 egg white
1 teaspoon sugar
Shake all ingredients hard, in a shaker, first without ice, then with ice. Strain into a tall glass and top off with soda water.
