One Of The World's Most Classic Cocktails Is A 3-Ingredient Gin Wonder

When it comes to cocktails, gin is among the most versatile liquors to choose for the job and has been found in some of the most legendary mixed drinks ever made. You can look at the long and storied history of gin to find cocktails ranging from the incredibly complex to the remarkably simple that have satisfied many lovers of the liquor, but among the most classic and delightful gin cocktails is an underrated creation that only requires three ingredients to make.

The drink in question is none other than the bee's knees cocktail. It's a shaken beverage that combines gin, honey simple syrup, and lemon juice to create a sweet and surprisingly mellow taste that lovers of fruity cocktails are likely to appreciate. While it may seem like the lemon juice in particular would be doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the cocktail, some have noted that no one ingredient truly overshadows another. Thus, while it may not be the most popular drink in this day and age (which you likely guessed from the name alone), the balanced cocktail is more than worthy of a try regardless of whether you're at the bar or at home.

The bee's knees cocktail is a gin-based drink that, despite having conflicting origin stories, is synonymous with the 1920s. While some think the drink originated in Europe and was the creation of Frank Meier at the Café Parisian within the Ritz Hotel in Paris, others believe its popularization came in underground speakeasies across America as the Prohibition era came and went. The latter origin is especially plausible due to the cocktail's immense sweetness. The lemon juice and honey simple syrup is capable of masking even the lowest quality forms of gin, such as the ones made in bathtubs throughout the era.

While many understandably love the bee's knees cocktail for its simple three-ingredient recipe, there is an optional fourth ingredient that many like adding to the mix to make it even more desirable. Using a garnish like a lemon peel or wedge gives a slightly more distinctly zesty taste that can really take things up a notch if you're looking to tip the scales in the sour ingredients' favor. Regardless of if you go for the added garnish or not, the old-school cocktail is loved by many and deserves to be added to your drink list. It is the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas, and the whole shebang, after all.