Pure honey will not dissolve in a shaken cocktail. Drop a measure of honey into a cold shaker with ice and you'll pour a drink with the honey still sitting in a stubborn knot at the bottom. Loosen it first into a 3 : 1 syrup with warm water and it pours, measures, and shakes like any other sweetener — while keeping the floral character that makes it worth using in the first place.
Why 3 : 1, Not 1 : 1
Honey is already about 80% sugar; adding water just makes it pourable. Three parts honey to one part warm water keeps the syrup concentrated enough that the floral character carries through into the drink. Thinner ratios dilute the honey's flavour to the point where you may as well be using sugar.
Which Honey
Clover honey is the bartender's default — neutral floral character, plays well with citrus, doesn't fight a recipe. Wildflower or orange-blossom add dimension and are worth experimenting with. Strong, dark honeys (buckwheat, manuka, chestnut) need restraint — use half the volume, and pick the recipe carefully: they overpower light spirits and citrus.
Warm Water Only
No heat. Honey's character is heat-sensitive — boil it and you lose the floral notes that justified using it instead of sugar. Warm tap water is enough; stir until uniform, which takes about thirty seconds.
Storage
Refrigerated, expect about two weeks before the syrup starts to cloud or develop a film. Pure honey lasts indefinitely; the dilution is what shortens the life. Make a small batch as needed rather than a big one that goes off.
Bottom Line
One of the simpler components in the bar and one of the most rewarding. A Bee's Knees built on real honey syrup tastes nothing like one built on sugar with a teaspoon of honey stirred in; the difference is the entire reason the drink exists.