Just popped into the cave du vin*.

Grabbed our last litre bottle of vintage sloe gin in order to take some to our friends this evening. The bottle is unmarked (an old Taylors port bottle) and I wanted to make sure I had the right stuff.

Cork out - not much aroma, as the liqueur is cool.

Tip a little into a glass - yup, no mistaking that colour.

But I can't put it back in the bottle. Have a little sip. My GOODNESS. I'd forgotten/not realised how fragrant sloe gin can be when it's 7 or 8 years old - this stuff is scented nectar! Incredibly smooth, and yet warming in a way that comes up gently from under your rib cage and rises silkily up to your nose. Amazing, it's good enough to make you exclaim out loud.

I'm about to give 1/5th of it away. These had better be good friends.

*The wine rack in the loo upstairs.