Slow up as the colder months approach: there’s a Sloe Gin cocktail in your sights. And it’s all thanks to the sloe berry. This tiny, dark fruit that’s related to the plum has been soaked in gin for a few months to add flavour and striking colour. As long as people made jam they’ve had some sloe gin macerating in the cupboard.

So join in the dark fruit fiesta. For a quick Sloe Gin cocktail mix Sloe Gin with lemonade or apple juice and watch the liquid swirl into the mixture. It’s a punch without the palaver – you avoid all the chopping, the ladling and the fighting for the last kiwi.

Or give a shot of colour to gin-based, delicate-hued classics like the Gin Fizz, that favourite of early 20^th century American bartenders. The Fizz can be relied upon to deliver a sharp tang and some shaken froth to your favourite gin, but this brings you a sloe berry bonus!

Britain’s legendary bartender Dick Bradsell was a big fan of autumn fruits as well as gin classics. He invented the Bramble cocktail, and the Sloe Bramble is a country hedgerow in a glass, minus the nettles thankfully.

And if you like puns, try the classic Mojito with Sloe Gin instead of rum for the Slojito. It’s Britain meets salsa, far from Cuba, but ideal for your sloe, sloe, quick, quick, sloe.

However you serve them, delicious Sloe Gin cocktails will give your guests pause for thought – because there’s no time like the present to enjoy these deep, dark fruit drinks.