Cocktails

Blackthorn

Blackthorn is a cocktail made with Sweet Vermouth, Sloe Gin, and Lemon Peel. The listed recipe is stirred and served in a Cocktail Glass.

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic21.6% ABV3 ingredients

At a Glance

185 kcalCalories

21.6%ABV

16.3gSugar

21.9gCarbs

0.9Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderatestirred drink

Why: 3 ingredients, stirred drink, requires bar spoon

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

1 ozSweet VermouthFortified Wine
1 1/2 ozSloe ginBase Spirit
1 twist ofLemon peelGarnish

How to Make It

Stir sloe gin and vermouth with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Stirred
Add the twist of lemon peel and serve.Serve

How to Serve

Glass: Cocktail Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice
Method: Stirred

Served Chilled

Taste

What does Blackthorn taste like?

Blackthorn has a drier, more aromatic profile. Bitter, herbal or botanical notes give it structure and make it feel less sugary.

Primary flavours

Herbal Citrus Botanical

Supporting notes

Juniper Red Fruit Spice Sweet

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

AcidityFlat – Crisp

FruitinessEarthy – Fruity

BoldnessDelicate – Bold

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

Variations

Easy ways to adjust Blackthorn

For a softer version, add a small amount of sweetness or citrus. For a drier version, keep the bitter or herbal ingredient clear and avoid extra fruit syrup.

When to choose it

How to decide if Blackthorn is right for you

Blackthorn suits drinkers who like drier, more aromatic cocktails. Choose it when you want structure, bitterness or herbal lift instead of a sweet fruit profile. The listed serve is about 21.6% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Blackthorn if...

Skip Blackthorn if you prefer soft, sweet or fruit-led drinks. Bitter and herbal cocktails can feel dry or intense if you are expecting easy sweetness.

When to serve

AperitifSuggested from its botanical and herbal notes.
Happy HourSuggested from pairing with charcuterie and olives.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

Charcuterie OlivesSalty Snacks

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Sweet Vermouth1 oz

Rosso VermouthGood swap

How much to use: Use the same amount; adjust only for the specific bottle’s sweetness and bitterness.
What changes: Rosso vermouth is a sweet red vermouth and is usually a close replacement for a generic sweet vermouth.

Dry VermouthNot a neutral swap

How much to use: You may need a small sweetener adjustment if the drink loses balance.
What changes: Dry vermouth is not a neutral substitute for sweet vermouth; it makes the drink much drier.

Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Lemon Peel1 twist of

Lemon TwistGood swap

How much to use: Use a similar-sized twist.
What changes: A lemon twist is usually a close substitute for lemon peel.