sloe liquer recipes

[Citroenella]

Is it me, or do the sloes seem to be ripening early this year?

Anyway, in preparation for harvest time... does anyone have any tried and tested recipes? We've also got a big bagful of damsons in the freezer too, so I think I'm going to try to make some damson brandy.

Has anyone tried using honey or brown sugar in their sloe gins?

Also, when I was in Scotland I sampled a delicious sloe whiskey liquer that was made with honey... if anyone has any ideas on quantities I could use for this that would be great...

[Citroenella]

What about the quality of the spirit? Cheapest you can get with the highest alcohol content - or decent branded stuff?