Straightaway Cocktails Bee's Knees

Straightaway makes ready-to-drink cocktails in Portland and sources or produces every ingredient that goes into the can — liqueurs, amari, and vermouths are the house obsession, and the stated mission is simply to make the best cocktails in the world. The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era drink: gin, fresh lemon juice, and honey, shaken and served chilled, with the name coming from period slang meaning "the best." Straightaway's version comes in 100 ml singles. Honey does the sweetening rather than syrup, which keeps it round instead of sugary, and the lemon holds the line.

Serving suggestions: Chill hard, then shake with ice and strain into a coupe — the dilution opens it up · Straight from the fridge into a rocks glass over one big cube with a lemon twist · Lengthen with soda for a lower-proof highball