Bathtub Gin Sloe Gin

The name is a wink at American Prohibition, when bootleggers steeped juniper and spice in dubious alcohol at home to mask its quality, gin born quite literally in the bathtub. Ableforth's revives the idea with rather better intentions, steeping real botanicals to flavour the spirit. This Sloe Gin is built traditionally from sloes and seasoned with juniper, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and orange peel, a recipe that helped earn the maker UK Gin Producer of the Year in 2019.

The nose is all marzipan and juniper, with cinnamon, clove and a hint of citrus. The palate turns to almond and dark berry fruit, rounded out by vanilla and a touch of oak, while the finish runs long and warmly spiced. Serve it neat as a winter sipper, top it with sparkling wine for a sloe royale, or stir it into a fruit-forward gin sour.