Sloe Gin has never really done it for me. I want to like it but I usually find it too medicinal and sickly at the same time. This year I came across Damson Vodka and I immediately imagined I would have similar feelings towards it. Not a jot, it was smooth and not too sweet with a delicious damson aroma. I couldn't get enough - it a perfect digestif and we also discovered it made yummy Champagne Cocktails.

We had been given a bottle of Damson Tree's delicious vodka by some friends and we've been hooked ever since. It's all made by Gemma Standeven who grew up in the rolling Herefordshire hills making the annual glut of damsons into jams and puddings. Now, she's put her childhood experience together with some more recently gained know-how to make the irresistible drink.

The damsons are gathered and then steeped with cane sugar and high quality vodka for more than a year, before being filtered and bottled. The entire process is meticulously undertaken by hand to ensure all the flavours are retained. Gemma started her business by steeping the damsons in bottles, before moving on to demijohns, but the drink is so popular that it's now made by the barrel load!

We're not the only ones who love Damson Tree vodka - it won two gold stars at the 2012 Great Taste Awards. Find out more and get your damson vodka at www.damsontreeshop.co.uk

Damson Tree makes the perfect after dinner drink