Sloegin is a bittersweet liqueur, drunk particularly in England during the hunt. Sloegin can be drunk as a shot, poured over ice, with sparkling white wine, in cocktails and even as part of the classic gin and tonic.
Sloe plums are grown all over the Netherlands. The fruits are in flower from April, and it is not until August that they begin to ripen. The fruits are small (about 1-1.5 cm) and have a large pit and as they ripen they slowly fade from green to blue to blue-black. The blue-black fruits have a bitter and pungent taste but this flavor disappears when the first frost has passed over the fruit. This is the final step in the fruits' journey to maturity.
Van der Donk Sloe Gin is a small-scale production effort at present, with Ellen van der Donk making the gin herself in her own home in Lochem. Her brother-in-law even designed the bottles. This exquisite tasting sloe gin is only available in a few select places in Amsterdam, and we are proud to be serving it at Mediamatic Eten.