This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This sloe gin cocktail is sophisticated and sweet tart: the best way to use this fruity red liqueur! Lemon and St Germain are the ideal pairing.
Got a bottle of sloe gin you’re not sure what else to do with? Maybe you bought a bottle for a sloe gin fizz, and now it’s gathering dust in your cabinet. This Sloe Gin cocktail is the drink for you! It’s sweet tart and perfectly balanced: fresh lemon adds just the right zing. But the best part? St Germain! This trendy elderflower liqueur adds subtle floral notes so that everything is in perfect harmony with the fruity and herbal sloe gin. You’ll be sipping it on the porch in no time. Let’s get mixing!
Ingredients in this sloe gin cocktail
This sloe gin cocktail was born from the question: “What can I make with sloe gin?” Because as we alluded above, Alex and I bought a bottle of this red liqueur to make one drink: the sloe gin fizz. Which, might we add, is extremely delicious! The problem with this unique liquor is that there’s not a lot of other uses for sloe gin, outside of a handful of drinks.
This Sloe Gin Cocktail solves that problem: and we hope that you love it as much as we do. Each sip is the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, herbal, and floral, with just the right finish that keeps you coming back for more. Here’s what’s in this sloe gin cocktail:
- Sloe gin
- St Germain (elderflower liqueur)
- Lemon juice
- Simple syrup
- Soda water (optional)
What is sloe gin, anyway?
Did you know sloe gin is not gin? Nope, it’s not actually gin, just made with it. Here’s what you need to know about this liqueur:
- Sloe gin is a British red liqueur that’s made with the sloe fruit and gin. Sloes are fruits that are similar to a plum, but the size of a berry. They grow wild in England, and the Brits have been making it for hundreds of years.
- What does sloe gin taste like? Sip a spoonful straight and it’s a little like cherry cough syrup. But add it a cocktail, and it adds a nuanced fruity flavor that’s completely unique.
- Make sure to grab “real: sloe gin, not artificially flavored. Low-quality bottles of sloe gin made with artificial flavors became popular in the US in the 1970’s and 80’s. These days, “real” sloe gin has come back into style and you can find it at your local liquor store or online.
St Germain is the perfect compliment
What is it about St Germain that makes any drink better? We’re assuming that if you have a bottle of something as niche as sloe gin, you might have a bottle of St Germain too. Here’s what to know:
- St Germain is a popular liqueur that’s made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. The flavor is light, sweetly floral, and fragrant. It’s hard to describe until you taste it! It adds a unique smooth finish to the flavor of cocktails.
- How do you say St Germain? The name is French, so say “Sahn-jer-MAHN” with your best French accent.
- Despite the vintage looking bottle, St Germain was invented in 2007! Yep, a guy named Rob invented it in the 2007. (Here’s the story behind it.)
- You can use St Germain for many cocktails. Try the French Gimlet, St Germain & Cranberry, Elderflower Cocktail, or St Germain Champagne Cocktail.
How to make this sloe gin cocktail
Once you’ve gathered up your ingredients, this sloe gin cocktail is a cinch to make. It’s a classic “stirred” cocktail: just stir everything together to chill it. Here’s what to do:
- Stir together all ingredients in a cocktail mixing glass. Shaking dilutes the drink with ice, so this drink is stirred instead.
- Don’t have a mixing glass? Use any glass or container you like to mix the drink, then strain it into the serving glass. Or, grab yourself a cocktail mixing glass. (Plus, it just looks cool.)
More sloe gin cocktails
Sloe gin is pretty niche, so it’s hard to find lots of sloe gin cocktails! Here are a few ideas to use the rest of your bottle:
- Sloe Gin Fizz If you haven’t made it yet, you’ve got to try this fizzy, tangy classic! A top notch way to try this liqueur.
- Best Alabama Slammer Remember we mentioned low brow sloe gin? Here we’ve given a makeover to the 1970’s classic…with none of the artificial flavors.
- Sloe Gin & Champagne Swap the Chambord for sloe gin, and you’ve got a refreshing bubbly cocktail that takes no time to make.
Sloe Gin Cocktail
This sloe gin cocktail is sophisticated and sweet tart: the best way to use this fruity red liqueur! Lemon and St Germain are the ideal pairing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) sloe gin
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) St Germain
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon simple syrup
- 1 splash sparkling water, optional
- For the garnish: lemon wedge, thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Combine the slow gin, St Germain, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail mixing glass (or any other type of glass). Fill the mixing glass with 1 handful ice and stir continuously for 30 seconds.
- Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. If desired, add a splash of soda water. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
More unique cocktails
Here are a few more unique cocktails that also feature specialty ingredients like sloe gin:
- Chartreuse: Try Last Word or Bijou Cocktail.
- Absinthe: Try the Sazerac, Corspe Reviver or La Louisiane.
- Cherry brandy: Make the Singapore Sling or Blood and Sand.
- Maraschino liqueur: Try the Martinez or Hemingway Daiquiri.
- Suze: Try the White Negroni.
- Crème de violette: Make the Aviation.
