Peter Morrell

Hayman’s Sloe Gin

Peter Morrell tastes this warming and delicious drink which is ideal for the Festive Season.


After a ramble over frost dusted fields on a winter’s day there is nothing better than a relaxing glass of Sloe Gin to warm up.

I’ve recently been sampling Hayman’s Sloe Gin and it’s delicious. Sloe berries are steeped in Hayman’s Gin for several months to fully extract the flavours and aromas of the fruit. The result is an intense drinking experience. The Sloe Gin is ruby red in colour and on the nose has fresh plummy aromas. On the palate it’s most intriguing, showing mature fruit, hints of citrus and lots of spice which make the mouth tingle the finish is long and persistent. The perfect winter warmer.

Since 1863 five generations of the Hayman’s family have acted as custodians of the English Gin style – providing an unbroken lineage dating back to the original gin boom. Throughout this 150 years, they have been perfecting the art of distilling traditional English Gin styles using family techniques and processes handed down through the generations. The family’s story is entwined with history of gin itself – from the current family-members’ great-great-grandfathers’ origins as a 19th Century pharmacist-distiller through to the more recent introduction of their flagship small-batch London Dry and Old Tom gins.

For more information visit: www.haymansgin.com

With the woodlands and hedgerows proving to be a forager’s delight this autumn, Hayman’s Gin, has created two delicious seasonal recipes, inspired by sloe berries. With both recipes incorporating Hayman’s Sloe Gin, the indulgent Chocolate Mousse is a boozy take on the popular dessert while the Mulled Sloe Gin Cocktail will help to stave off the winter chill.

Rich chocolate mousse infused with Hayman’s Sloe Gin

8-10 servings

Ingredients

  • 200ml Hayman’s Sloe Gin
  • 200g 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate, broken into pieces (set aside 20g for garnish)
  • 600ml double cream
  • 3 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
  • 100g sloe berries
  • 100g caster sugar

Method:

  1. Place the sloe berries in a pan with three quarters of the sugar and warm over a low heat.
  2. Stir to combine, allow the sugar to dissolve and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Press the cooked berries through a sieve using the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.
  4. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl set over a bain-marie at a low simmer, allowing the chocolate to melt slowly.
  5. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
  6. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the egg yolks (mix thoroughly, to avoid any lumps), followed by the sweetened sloe coulis (keep 20g aside for garnish) and 100ml of Hayman’s Sloe Gin.
  7. Whisk the double cream with the rest of the caster sugar until it forms rough peaks
  8. Slowly stir in 100ml of Hayman’s Sloe Gin little by little to the whipped cream, to prevent the cream from curdling.
  9. Set a little of the cream mixture aside for garnish and fold the rest into the chocolate mixture.
  10. Whisk the egg whites until they become soft peaks and fold into the rest of the mixture.
  11. Serve with a garnish of Hayman’s Sloe Gin-sweetened cream, flaked chocolate, and drizzle over the remaining coulis.

Hayman’s Mulled Sloe Gin

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 100ml Hayman’s Sloe Gin
  • 250ml Red Wine
  • 2tsp Honey
  • Half a teaspoon of Allspice
  • To garnish: cinnamon stick, apple slice and/or blackberries

Method:

  1. Set a metal-based saucepan over a medium heat.
  2. Pour the Hayman’s Sloe Gin and red wine into the saucepan.
  3. Add in the honey and Allspice.
  4. Bring to a simmer and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Pour into a handled glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick, apple slice and/or blackberries.