You might have heard of sloe gin before, but what exactly is it and how is it different from regular gin?

Sloes are a type of fruit, part of the same family as cherries and plums and Sloe Gin is made by infusing gin with ripe sloes and usually adding sugar to the mix. This is then left to mature over several months and then strained off, leaving you with a tasty, sweet and fruity liqueur. The alcohol content varies between 15-30% ABV but EU regulations state that to be called Sloe Gin, it must have a minimum of 25% ABV.

There are a number of fantastic sloe gins available, including 6 O’clock Sloe Gin, Sipsmith Sloe Gin, Elephant Sloe Gin and Hayman’s Sloe Gin however, it’s really easy to make your own at home, especially if you have access to fresh sloes.

Here, ILoveGin explores some fantastic recipes for how to make your own sloe gin from home, as well as what differentiates this kind from other gins, sloe gin cocktails and more.