I now have several bottles of sloe gin made 3 years ago - and others of lesser vintage quietly awaiting maturity. I used to pick the sloes and then prick them, until an older and wiser person told me to wait ti pick them after the first frost... No frost (because of climate change)? - pop them in the freezer.

I've never added sugar - there is some sugar, but not a lot, in the sloes themselves. Sloe is essentially a flavouring.

As for drinking? - chilled, with ice and tonic water - or with vermouth to make a red-headed martini...

Just a different take.