Glasgow-based “liquid deli” Demijohn has been crowned Sloe Ginster World Champion for 2014. The annual competition is hosted by The George Inn in Frant near Tunbridge Wells on the Kent/Sussex border.
The world’s finest artisan sloe gin makers gathered at the popular village pub, to vie for the coveted title on 10 December.
Sloe Ginster World Champion
Demijohn, which also has outlets in Edinburgh, York and Oxford, took the award from among professional entrants, ships its liqueurs worldwide through its mail order operation. Demijohn’s sloe gin costs £30.50 for a 50cl bottle.
Demijohn’s winning sloe gin described as, “Not too sweet, not too dry and a perfect drink for the winter,” is based on a family recipe dating back to 1842 and made by a husband and wife team in Worcestershire. Although the recipe is a closely guarded secret, Demijohn MD Angus Ferguson advises those making their own concoction “Never infuse for less than 10 months to ensure a rich and deep flavour.”
Made in Worcestershire Demijohn’s Sloe Gin is a rich, very British liqueur and is the perfect finish to a fine meal or as a tipple in a hip flask while out on a bracing walk. And what makes it even more special is that the Demijohn team shuts up shop in the autumn and treks to the Galloway hedgerows to pick sloes to ensure the producers have enough to cope with demand.
Due to the fact that sloes grow wild in only certain places Demijohn scours the land for good, juicy sloes which are then steeped in London Gin for many months with sugar to create what is now officially the world’s best Sloe Gin.
Winner of the Home-Made category was Grace Winey, originally from the Portuguese Azores islands, who travelled down from her home in Bury-St Edmunds in Suffolk, with her American husband to attend.
Sloe Seductionbased in Marden, Kent was named Gold Medal Winner for South East England. Sloe Seduction is also known for its award-winning sloe gin chocolates, sloe gin marmalade and sloe gin chutney.
A 20cl bottle of Sloe Seduction gin is £11.95.
All proceeds of the event are donated to the MS Society which supports people with Multiple Sclerosis.
For more information about Demijohn click here
For more information about Sloe Seduction click here
Email Grace Winey gracewiney@hotmail.com T: 01284 752 822
The George Inn
36 High Street, Frant, Tunbridge Wells TN3 9DU
T: 01892 730350
For more information about The George Inn click here