There’s certainly no shortage of flavoured gins in the supermarkets these days – everything from violets and geraniums to blood oranges and grapefruits make their way into the staunchly British spirit. But while these are at best overly sweet and at worst full of artificial flavourings, it’s far tastier and cheaper to make your own. And best of all – all it requires is a bit of sugar, some gin, your chosen fruit and time for everything to infuse together.
Almost any ingredient will leech flavour into gin if given long enough – but some fruits work better than others. The recipes below are our favourites, but do try experimenting at home; a vanilla pod, spices such as cinnamon or star anise and fresh herbs can add complexity to the final flavour that’s above and beyond anything you can buy. Beginning with forced rhubarb at the start of the year, working through the berries of summer and then finishing with wintery sloes, you can make incredible seasonal gins every month. Read on to see how easy it is and tap or click on the images to get taken to the full recipe for each.