Damson wine is a favorite among some people. Damson gin is made like sloe gin, although less sugar is necessary as the damsons are sweeter than sloes. Damson is used to make slivovitz, a distilled plum spirit made in Slavic countries.

The damson (fruit) is identified by its oval shape (though slightly pointed at one end), smooth-textured yellow-green flesh, and skin from dark blue to indigo. It is similar to the "bullace", also classified as Prunus domestica, which is a smaller, round plum with purple (or yellow) skin. Other types of Prunus domestica are also similar, and can have purple (or yellow or red) skin.
The tree blossoms with small, white flowers in early April in the Northern hemisphere and fruit is harvested in late August or early September.
The skin of the damson can be heavily acidic, rendering the fruit unpalatable to some for eating out of hand. Because of this acidic, tart flavour, damsons are commercially grown for preparation in jellies and jams. A range of varieties of damson are available, with some such as 'Merryweather' and 'President Plum' being more appropriate for eating when ripe straight from the tree while varieties such as 'Farleigh' benefit from cooking. They can also be pickled and thus preserved at home.

The damson or damson plum (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia, or sometimes Prunus insititia) is an edible drupaceous fruit, a subspecies of the plum tree. Sometimes called the Damask plum, damsons are commonly used in the preparation of jams and jellies. The plum spirit slivovitz is made from fermented damson fruit.
The term "damson" is often used to describe red wines with rich yet acidic plummy flavors.