In light of our homebound situation, best use this time to brush up on those bartending skills. Ambleside have provided a recipe "perfect for sipping on a lazy afternoon," which is every afternoon now tbh.

By this point in the coronavirus pandemic, you may well have already knocked back a few 5pm spritzes and a simple equal-parts cocktail or two at your makeshift bar/kitchen table, but with such a variety of ways to import great booze into your home on offer at the moment, why not branch out and spend the next few knock-offs perfecting something new.

CityMag first met Ambleside Distillers back in 2017, and they’ve been thoughtful enough to provide us with our next at-home craft project – perfecting the Ambleside Bee’s Knees.

Suffice to say it will be a hit at your next Google Hangout or Zoom drinks catch up, and you won’t have to share it with anyone.

“The Bee’s Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail that uses lemon, honey and a measure of good gin to create a smooth well-rounded sour,” says Ambleside’s Matt Dickson.

“The rich sweetness of honey pairs perfectly with lemon in this smooth, emulsified drink.

“We use Ambleside Distillers Small Acre Gin for its bright citrus notes, and smoke our glass with rosemary to add a savoury aromatic layer. This all comes together as a rich, citrus-forward cocktail with deep honey flavours to bolster the gin.

“Perfect for sipping on a lazy afternoon.”

Ambleside’s Bees Knees

Into a shaker put:

60ml Small Acre Gin

30ml fresh squeezed lemon juice

15ml honey syrup

15ml egg white (or 6 drops instant foam)

Method

Fill a fancy glass with ice, tip it out and smoke some rosemary under the glass. The residual water will capture the smoky flavours.

Wet shake (with ice) then dry shake (no ice) and double strain into coupe.

Garnish with 3 drops of bitters.