Tip Top Cocktails are one of a handful of companies who aim to make bar-quality and bar-strength cocktails. This is not to say that there’s a place for lower ABV cocktails that more closely mirror the strength of hard seltzers, beer and other canned drinks found in coolers at backyard parties. However, Tip Top is not aiming to do anything other than to re-create the cocktail you’d order at a bar or make at home— in a can. Tip Top Bee’s Knees is 26% ABV and is made with gin, lemon and honey.
Tasting notes
Color: Amber and hazy with low opacity.
Aroma: Acidic tart lemon with a dark honey aroma underneath it.
Flavor: Lemon tartness dominates early. Mid-palate Tip Top Bee’s Knees has some moderately pronounced notes of gin. I get more coriander from the underlying gin, with some milder, green juniper lending it balance.
Late, dark honey lends sweetness and takes over the flavor. Moderately sweet, it’s nicely balanced though sweeter than other cocktails in Tip Top’s line.
Finish: Lingering dark honey with echoes of gin flavor.
Overall, Tip Top Bee’s Knees
Tip Top’s version of the cocktail is a bit sweeter than most traditional recipes for a Bee’s Knee’s. However, it’s a pretty good RTD for fans of the drink. I appreciate the clear presence of gin, and the added complexity of the honey— it’s not just sweet, it’s flavorful.
Nicely balanced, Tip Top Bee’s Knees is a solid canned version of the cocktail. While it may not be a 1:1 representation of what you would get at a bar, it is a convenient and well designed drink that will be sure to appeal to fans of the drink.
Recommended in its category.