Sloe Gin
Despite its name, sloe gin is a fruit liqueur: sloes, the small sour fruit of the blackthorn tree, macerated in gin and sweetened, then bottled at 25% ABV or more, usually 25 to 30%. Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 defines it in its own right and allows only natural flavourings in it. It brings plum, tartness and a deep red colour to the Sloe Gin Fizz and to long drinks with tonic.
Quick Facts
Store upright in a cool, dark place, sealed. No fridge needed.
None of the 14 listed allergens. Recipes vary by brand: check the bottle.
About Sloe Gin
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Deep ruby colour with aromas of ripe dark berries and subtle almond. The palate is rich and softly sweet with balancing tartness, finishing smooth with gentle spice and light bitterness.
The law calls it a liqueur, with rules of its own
GB spirit drink law gives sloe gin a definition apart from gin: a liqueur made by maceration of sloes in gin, with sloe juice allowed, bottled at 25% ABV or more, and flavoured only with natural flavourings. Sloes grow on blackthorn and are too sour and drying to eat raw; maceration draws out its colour, acidity and a stone-fruit note, and the sugar makes it drinkable.
It sits between gin and the fruit liqueurs
Compared with gin, sloe gin has less alcohol and far more sugar, and it is close in strength to the Spanish sloe drink pacharán, which has a separate definition. The table sets out the differences.
Sloe gin against gin, pacharán and blackberry liqueur (categories, minimum strengths and sugar from Regulation (EC) No 110/2008)
Sloe gin
- Sold as
- Liqueur
- Minimum strength
- 25%
- Sugar
- At least 100 g/L
- Made from
- Sloes steeped in gin
Gin
- Sold as
- Gin
- Minimum strength
- 37.5%
- Sugar
- 0.1 g/L at most if labelled dry
- Made from
- Neutral spirit and juniper
Pacharán
- Sold as
- Sloe-aromatised spirit drink
- Minimum strength
- 25%
- Sugar
- 80 to 250 g/L
- Made from
- Sloes and anise in alcohol; Spain only
Blackberry liqueur
- Sold as
- Liqueur
- Minimum strength
- 15%
- Sugar
- At least 100 g/L
- Made from
- Blackberries in spirit
| Drink | Sold as | Minimum strength | Sugar | Made from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sloe gin | Liqueur | 25% | At least 100 g/L | Sloes steeped in gin |
| Gin | Gin | 37.5% | 0.1 g/L at most if labelled dry | Neutral spirit and juniper |
| Pacharán | Sloe-aromatised spirit drink | 25% | 80 to 250 g/L | Sloes and anise in alcohol; Spain only |
| Blackberry liqueur | Liqueur | 15% | At least 100 g/L | Blackberries in spirit |
A sour, a stirred drink and a highball
The Sloe Gin Fizz shakes 45ml with lemon and adds 15ml of London Dry for backbone, then lengthens it with soda. The Blackthorn stirs 50ml with vermouth, and the Charlie Chaplin pairs it with apricot brandy and lime. In the Sloe Gin and Lemon Tonic it supplies all the flavour of a long drink with tonic. Its colour matters too: the deep red carries through soda and tonic, so these drinks look the part without any other ingredient.
Using Sloe Gin
Usage
It appears in five of our recipes. The Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall takes only 15ml; the Blackthorn and the Sloe Gin and Lemon Tonic take 50ml. Bottles differ in sugar, and homemade batches differ most, so taste the bottle before deciding on the lemon.
Pro Tip
If a sloe gin drink tastes like cordial, the fix is gin, not lemon. A small measure of dry gin under the sloe gives the drink a spine and lets the fruit taste of fruit, not of sugar.
Top Tips
- Check the label says sloe gin and 25% or more: under Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, sloe-flavoured drinks below that strength fall outside the definition, and they are often much sweeter.
- Balance by taste, not by recipe alone. A sharp homemade bottle may need a little syrup in a fizz; a sweet commercial one may need more lemon.
- Add a measure of London Dry to a sloe gin sour if it tastes soft. Our Sloe Gin Fizz does exactly that with 15ml.
- In our experience an opened bottle keeps more than a year with the cap on and the light off; the fruit aroma fades soonest.
Possible Substitutions
- Blackberry Liqueur: Sweeter and less bitter
Production Method
Produced by macerating sloe berries in gin, allowing the fruit’s flavour, colour, and tannins to infuse before sweetening and resting to integrate.
More to explore
Common Questions
Is sloe gin actually gin?
How strong is sloe gin?
How much sugar is in sloe gin?
What is the difference between sloe gin and pacharán?
What drinks use sloe gin?
Can you make your own sloe gin?
Does sloe gin go off once opened?
Sources.
Correct as of 16 October 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex II (retained)”.
Made with Sloe Gin
Featured In These Cocktails
Often Used With
Updated 16 October 2026