Blackthorn

Fortified wine, flavored with aromatic herbs and spices ("aromatized" in the trade) such as cardamom, cinn

Sloe gin is a red liqueur flavored with sloe berries, the fruit of the blackthorn, a relative of the plum. Sloe gin has an alcohol content between 15 and 30 percent by volume. The traditional way of making sloe gin is to infuse gin with the berries. Sugar is required to ensure that the sloe juices are extracted from the fruit. Almond flavoring may also be added. Many commercial sloe gins today are made by flavoring the less expensive neutral grain spirits and produce a fruit cordial effect although a number of long established reputable manufacturers still use the traditional method.