Cocktail recipe: Smoked Bee's Knees - Cocktail with Smoker
Smoked Bee's Knees: Golden Elegance
The Bee's Knees (meaning "the bee's knees", period slang for excellence) was born during Prohibition to mask the harshness of gin at the time with honey and lemon. Today we use premium gins, and the smoke of Smoking Spirit doesn't mask but highlights: it elevates the silkiness of honey to an entirely new, rustic level.
Why Cherry?
For this drink I recommend cherry wood chips. Cherry smoke is remarkably soft, fruity and sweetish. Since the cocktail is dominated by the freshness of lemon and the character of wildflower honey, cherry wood adds a kind of "summer evening campfire" feel, without overpowering the delicate botanical notes of the gin.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| London Dry or Floral Gin | 60 ml |
| Fresh lemon juice | 22.5 ml |
| Honey syrup (2:1 ratio) | 22.5 ml |
| Garnish | Lemon peel or a sprig of fresh thyme |
| Smoking chips | 1 portion Cherry |
Tip for the honey syrup: Don't use plain honey, as it will solidify in a cold cocktail! Mix 2 parts honey with 1 part warm water until fully dissolved. This syrup keeps for weeks in the fridge.
Preparation: Shake up your spirits!
-
Mixing: Pour the gin, fresh lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker filled with ice.
-
Chilling: Shake vigorously for about 12-15 seconds. The goal is for the drink to be ice cold and for the honey syrup to fully blend with the citrus.
-
Straining: Strain into a pre-chilled Coupe or Martini glass. (Served without ice, so the smoke comes into direct contact with the surface of the drink.)
-
The Smoking Spirit ritual: Place the smoker on top of the glass. Fill it with cherry wood chips, light it, and close it. Let the thick, white smoke rest on the golden drink for 20 seconds.
-
Finishing: Lift off the smoker, and watch the mist disperse. Drop in the lemon peel or thyme s
