My GF likes a sloe gin so could you recommend a tried and tested recipe I could try Alastair?
Pick the sloes, preferably after a good frost but the last couple of years the first frost for us has been rather late. You could drop a bag of picked sloes into the freezer overnight.
I don't bother pricking the sloes myself, others do.
1/2-2/3 fill your clean jars with sloes (I use Kilner type jars). Fill around the sloes with sugar to about 1/2-2/3 the depth of the sloes. You can use white sugar or a heavy demerrara type. Dark sugar will give a rich caramel flavour.
Measurements are not critical.
Fill the jars with gin. Leave in a dark place for 3 months. Shake every day for the first week, and then afterwards when you remember.
Strain into bottles.
You can (in theory) have sloe gin ready for Christmas the same year, but it's better the following year. If you want it ready quicker use white sugar, dark sugar needs several months to mellow and for the slight bitter note that dark sugar introduces to fade away.