My search for sloe berries and sloe gin initially turned out to be fruitless, pun intended. Even the USDA website says they exist in the Northeast but many hikes in the woods and walks through neigborhoods with streets by the name of Blackthorn lane or road, turned out empty. Blackthorn bushes are very invasive and cut back or down altogether if there is any type of residential development. In England, they are found done many country lanes and picked for gin and jams. The fact that it grows wild only (I did find a farm in Bulgaria but they would only ship a boxcar load) and that fresh fruit from Europe is restricted in the US, made the task all the more difficult. An email to Plymouth revealed no source either. Thank god for the internet and ebay. For a mere $4 a pound, I found a sloe berry picker on Great Britain ebay and convinced her to send me 4 pounds through the mail. The trip caused a few rotted berries but I eneded up with well over 3 pounds of sloes that I infused with Seagram's Distiller's reserve and some cane sugar. I bottled after 3 months (practical wisdom says 3 months minimum up to a year but no longer than 2 years as the pits could leach a toxin) and measured the volume increase. The increase of juice lowered the proof from 102 to 81, still fairly potent for the traditonal liqueur. I wanted as much extraction as possible, hence the higher proof gin (and a good price too). Very rich flavor with almonds, vanilla, cherry and a hint of that medicinal quality but delicious. I have yet to make cocktails with it and so far prefer it as a neat after dinner drink. I forgot to mention that during my online research, I came across the ultimate sloe berry sight, www.sloe.biz Everything you'd ever want to know about sloe and damson gin making! Also, for distillate proof conversions, without an alcometer, I found homedistiller.org very helpful