For cocktails that may call for a simple syrup, substituting honey syrup — especially made with a light, single-source honey like Buzz Savories Artisanal Honey — creates a unique and delightful depth of flavor. Take, for example, the Bee’s Knees. When this drink was created during Prohibition (to help cover the taste of “bathtub” gin), the term “the bee’s knees” was popular slang to mean “the best” which is why it’s still considered timeless a hundred years later.

The classic Bee’s Knees cocktail consists of gin, lemon juice and honey and is a pleasant twist on a gin sour. Using honey directly will just make a mess in your cocktail shaker, so start by making a honey syrup to thin out the honey. We use one part honey to one-third part hot water, say, a cup to a third of a cup, mix them thoroughly and refrigerate.

When you’re ready, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 1 oz. fresh lemon juice, 3⁄4 oz. Buzz Savories honey syrup, and 2 oz. gin. Shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Some variations on the Bee’s Knees theme include adding a splash of orange juice or substituting lime juice for the lemon. If you divide one drink between two Champagne glasses and fill the rest with bubbly, you’ll find yourself with a French 75, or if you want more of a sipping drink, pour the ingredients over ice and top it off with club soda to create a different take on a Tom Collins.

There are actually quite a number of delicious cocktails with honey syrup as a key ingredient and we’ll explore a few others as we go along, but we’ll leave you with this little tidbit.