This fig, thyme and honey G&T is a deliciously sweet drink for late summer

As the fierce heat of summer mellows into September’s golden sunshine and gentle warmth, stickily sweet purple figs (confusingly known as black figs) come into season in the UK. Here at Craft Gin Club, we’re making the most of the glorious plump, ripe figs that have just started appearing on trees and shop shelves in this delicious, slightly sweet twist on a gin and tonic, and it’s fabulous!

The rich, fruity sweetness of the figs and honey are balanced with a little lemon juice (and a splash of cider, if you wish) for a refreshing, mouthwatering tipple.

You’ll need to whip up a simple syrup infused with figs and thyme, but honestly, that takes mere moments and is incredibly easy (and cheap) to do (plus you can use any of this fruity, lightly perfumed syrup as a decadent addition to cocktails, on puddings or as a marinade for your meats and salads.)

When choosing your figs, just give them a squeeze to see if they’re fully ripe - they should be a little soft (but not squishy). Figs don't ripen after they’ve been picked, so avoid any that are hard or greenish and go for deep purple, squeezable fruits (they might also have a little peach-style fuzz on the skin too, that’s fine). Because they don’t continue to ripen, you need to use them within a day or two of buying them.

If you prefer a martini-style cocktail over a G&T, you can follow all the first steps of the recipe below and simply leave out the tonic (or soda) water for a lip-smackingly sweet, refreshing cocktail!