Humdinger Sloe Gin

Humdinger 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 begins in the distillery's own Canterbury orchard, where more than one thousand blackthorn trees are grown for the fruit. Each sloe is picked by hand when ripe, making the gin a genuinely local seasonal release rather than a recipe built around imported berries. The fruit ripens once a year, so each batch reflects a particular harvest and is produced only in limited quantity. Bottled at 26.5%, the gin sits below the strength of a 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 and gives the sloe fruit more space in the glass.

Limited Edition · Fruity

Its aroma is led by ripe plum and dark fruit, with a soft almond-like impression in the background.

On the palate, the berries bring a rounded, concentrated fruit character; a measured sweetness smooths their natural tartness without turning the sip into syrup. The lower strength makes the texture gentle, while the fruit keeps the flavour full and warming. The finish carries the plum-like note forward, then settles into a lighter, dry edge. Served neat, it shows the harvest character directly; over ice, it opens gradually as the chill gives way.

Seasonality is central to this gin. The orchard's crop depends on the year's growing conditions, and the producer releases the batch when the fruit is ready rather than treating it as a year-round fixed product. The 500 ml bottle is filled at 26.5% ABV, and the fruit is grown in New Zealand. Its awards include gold medals at the 2026 NZ Small BatchSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary Gin Awards and Super Spirits Awards, alongside earlier recognition in gin competitions. The small orchard and hand-picked fruit give this bottle a clear origin story.

Humdinger suggests the Sloe Gin neat, over ice, or lengthened with tonic or soda. For a bright long drink, fill a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary with clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary, pour 5 cl of gin and 10 cl of East Imperial Old World Tonic Water, stir gently, then add a fine lemon peel and two fresh sloes. The tonic's dryness brings the fruit into focus, and lemon adds a fresh counterpoint to the ripe berry notes. In colder weather, the gin also works in a warm mulled serve; in summer, it can be shaken into a sparkling Sloe Gin Fizz. Keep added sugar modest, since the fruit and its natural tartness already provide the drink's main balance.