sloes or bullace? or something more sinister?

[Kveta]

I found some berries on a tree near our house which I thought were sloes - I tried one, and it sooked all the moisture from my mouth, plus it looks exactly like a miniature round plum (about the size of a 5p to 1p piece). However, the bush was totally free of thorns. So, from googling, it looks like it may be a bullace (and is definitely NOT deadly nightshade! I did check before trying one! :o).

however, I was just wondering if anyone else has collected bullace before, and if so, were they good for making vodka/gin? and does this even sound like a bullace?!

Did they look like this?

Don't know about bullace but these are sloes. About blueberries sized. If they are, a tip I received was to pick them, freeze them, thaw them, then re-freeze before gin-making. Makes them juicier!

The bullace I have eaten were not so astringent - they were like small plums/damsons and quite sweet when ripe. (But then they are wild plums, so not too surprising) Mind you unripe damsons and bullace can be quite astringent. And sloes are very astringent - but as you rightly point out there should be thorns for sloes.

The leaves are completely different though - and smell of cyanide (bitter almondy) if crushed....

bullaces are like small plums. We have some lovely golden ones here

thanks, I have consulted some foraging and wildlife experts and have been told they are most probably a sloe/damson hybrid, and worth trying to make gin from :o the lack of thorns really threw me, but will try and make some gin and see!

some google pictures did look like they were bullace, but others say bullace is golden and more plum like. I will try them, and see what happens!

def not cherry laurel though - thanks for the warning!