Recognized by its bold red color, sloe gin doesn't precisely fit into the gin category. Instead, it falls in the liqueur family. A liqueur is a spirit base with sugar and flavors added to it and includes such recognizable names as Maraschino, Kahlúa, St. Germain, etc. While gins must be no lower than 40% ABV, sloe gins are typically between 25-30%. Sloe gin is created by soaking sloe berries in high-proof gin with sugar. The small, astringent sloe berries are common in the wild around northern Europe.

If you're inspired to try sloe gin in your next cocktail, check out the three recipes below!