Hayman's Sloe Gin

Hayman's Sloe GinSloe ginA liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in gin, then sweetening it. It is usually bottled between 25% and 30% ABV.GlossarySee Sloe gin gins is a traditional English sloe gin made by steeping wild-harvested English sloe berries in Hayman's London Dry GinLondon DryA style, not a place of origin: every flavour comes from distilling natural botanicals. After distillation only water and a trace of sugar may be added, with no flavouring or colouring.GlossarySee London Dry gins before balancing the infusionInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary with natural sugar. Bottled at 26% ABV, it belongs to the sloe gin family rather than the dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins category, but the gin base remains essential: juniper, citrus peel, coriander, angelica, cassia, cinnamon, orris, liquorice and nutmeg give structure beneath the fruit. The colour is deep ruby, and the style is rich, gently sweet and bittersweet rather than syrupy.

Spicy · Fruity

The nose is led by ripe sloe berriesSloeA small wild plum from the blackthorn, very astringent raw: it is what makes sloe gin.Glossary, plum skin, almond-like fruit stone and a soft spiced sweetness. Behind the fruit, the London Dry base brings orange peel, dried lemon, coriander and a trace of warm spice. In the mouth, Hayman's Sloe Gin is rounded and smooth, but the fruit keeps a pleasant tartness. The best reading is a balance between berry, spice and dry gin structure: the sweetness is present, yet the finish keeps enough bitterness and botanical grip to avoid becoming heavy.

It can be served neat over ice, lengthened with tonic or used in a sparkling Sloe Royale. In a long serve, fresh blackberries or a discreet orange peel work well because they connect the berry depth to the citrus in the base gin. The finish is fruity, gently spiced and softly almond-like, with sloe, plum and citrus peel lingering. It is a useful bottle for drinkers looking for a softer, fruitier gin serve that still carries the heritage of an English gin house rather than a simple berry liqueur.