Come in from the cold with three golden pours

Honey is one of the oldest sweeteners and one of the most underrated behind the bar. Unlike plain sugar, it brings floral, earthy, sometimes almost smoky notes, along with a silky body that rounds out sharp citrus and softens the edge of strong spirits. From mead in Norse feasting halls and Greek mythology to Prohibition-era bartenders using honey to tame harsh bathtub gin, this sweetener has a storied history.

It’s also the ideal ingredient for November. As the days shorten and the air turns crisp, honey feels like a natural bridge between the last of autumn and the first hints of winter: warm, golden, and quietly comforting without leaning into holiday cliché. Its amber glow suits the season’s palette, and its depth pairs beautifully with the flavours of the month, from oak-aged bourbon to ripe pear and fresh citrus. The three cocktails that follow show its range, from a spirit-forward Krupnik Old Fashioned to a bright, classic Bee’s Knees and a light Mead & Pear Sparkler. Each is simple enough to make at home, and each shows why honey deserves a permanent spot on your bar cart.

Krupnik Old Fashioned

Slow and warm, like the last light of an autumn afternoon, with honey and a hint of spice settling gently around the bourbon.

Ingredients

2 oz bourbon or rye

½ oz Krupnik, a Polish honey liqueur

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Orange peel, for garnish

Method

1. Add the bourbon, Krupnik, and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice.
2. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until well chilled.
3. Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass.
4. Express the orange peel over the drink, then drop it in or perch it on the rim.

Bee’s Knees

Lemon up front, honey underneath, and gin’s botanicals tying it together.

Ingredients

2 oz gin

¾ oz fresh lemon juice

¾ oz honey simple syrup (*see note)

Lemon twist, for garnish

*Honey simple syrup: Stir ¼ cup honey into ¼ cup hot water until dissolved, then let it cool. It makes enough for about four drinks and keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Method

1. Chill a coupe in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you mix.
2. Add the gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a shaker filled with ice.
3. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds.
4. Double strain into the chilled coupe.
5. Express the lemon twist over the surface and drop it in.

Mead and Pear Sparkler

Soft and bright, with honeyed mead and ripe pear lifted by fine bubbles.

Ingredients

1 oz pear brandy or pear vodka

2 oz semi-sweet mead

½ oz fresh lemon juice

2 oz brut sparkling wine

Thin pear slice or sage leaf, for garnish

Method

1. Chill a flute in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you mix.
2. Add the pear brandy, mead, and lemon juice to a shaker filled with ice.
3. Shake for 10 to 12 seconds.
4. Strain into the chilled flute.
5. Top with the sparkling wine.
6. Garnish with a pear slice or sage leaf.