Some of the plants that are most attractive to bees and produce high quality honey are the flowers of blackberries, fruit and citrus trees, herbs (like rosemary, borage and sage), flowering bushes, clover and other wild flowers and, in the case of Monte-Bellaria, lavender.
Consider orange blossom (and other citrus trees), tupelo trees, horsemint, basswood, black locust, wild sage, milkweed, buckwheat, and tulip tree. Dark honey: Buckwheat is, by far, the plant that will most dramatically deepen the color and taste of your honey, but proceed with caution.
If you've ever tasted honey before, chances are that it was clover honey. According to Mariah, clover honey is seen as the gold standard of honey because this plant is so abundant. It has a clean, mild, and sweet taste, with a typically light amber color (depending on where this was harvested).
The color and flavor of honeys differ depending on the nectar source (the blossoms) visited by the honey bees. In fact, there are more than 300 unique types of honey available in the United States, each originating from a different floral source.
Oregon Raspberry Honey is one of the most fragrant honey varieties. The aroma is pleasant, like your favorite flower. Like other berry honeys it is light amber in color with a subtle but definite berry taste. It is delicate and smooth, perfect for use in teas and coffee.
Capilano honey is 100% pure Australian honey. There's absolutely nothing added, it's just as nature intended.
Locust honey and Tupelo honey were found to be the sweetest of those tested. This data correlated with the average fructose percentage in those honeys, which ranged from 37.73% for a sweetness score of 114.16 (Aster) and 39.10 for a sweetness score of 115.90 (Eucalyptus - European).
The presence of glucose is what makes honey sweeter. Regular honey is less sweet than raw honey because the enzymes and glucose have been filtered out. Glucose Oxidase is another enzyme which breaks down the glucose, giving the pH level of the honey more stable.
The strawberry tree (Arbutus undo L.) (Figure 1) is the main source of the renowned bitter honey, of which Sardinia is probably the region with the most significant production in the world [6,7]. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) flowers of two distinct varieties from Sardinia (Photos: Alessandro Lampis).
The flavor of clover honey comes from the plant, and more specifically the flowers that provided nectar to the bees. Clover flowers have a strong, flowery aroma, which transfers over into the honey made from their nectar.
The taste of honey can vary depending on the type of flower or plant that the bees gather pollen from. Different flowers and plants have different levels of sugar, minerals, and other compounds that affect the flavour and colour of the honey. This is what makes natural honey such an incredible and versatile ingredient.
Lavender Honey has a floral, well rounded flavor. A premium monofloral (or single flower) honey, Lavender Honey has a polished honey aroma and perhaps the delicate floral scent of Lavender. An extraordinary sweetener, Lavender Honey is known for its low acidity and lack of bitterness.
Raw wildflower honey has more antioxidants, unlike honey that has undergone filtering and pasteurization. This is because the honey has the original amount of pollen, bee propolis, and trace vitamins.
1. Manuka. Manuka Honey comes from New Zealand. It is harvested from the blooms of Manuka trees that grow abundantly there.
The costliest honey in the world is 'Elvish honey', which is a rare and expensive variety produced in Turkey's Black Sea region. This honey is known for its unique flavour and high price and is a much sought-after delicacy for foodies and connoisseurs alike. It is also known as the purest honey in the world.
🥧 Which Honey is Better for Baking
Due to the stronger flavor of wildflower honeys, you will taste more of the flavor of the honey in your finished product. Save clover honey for the breakfast or dinner table for things like biscuits.
Tim Malfroy produces some of the world's best honey in the pristine world heritage Blue Mountains of Australia. Malfroy's honey is a great representation of the terroir of the Blue Mountains with its complex flora and pure environment. The depth of flavour is amazing; this honey is something special.
Australian honey is highly sought after in global markets for its unique tastes and strong reputation for being produced cleanly and sustainably. All around Australia honey bees visit more than 700 native flowering plants to collect nectar and pollen to produce honey.
The most isolated honey in the world, Pitcairn honey originates from its namesake island. Here, the quality of all plant life is as pure as possible due to the complete lack of pollution on the island. With a population of under 100 people, there's little to no contamination in the island's honey production.
Overall, the healthiest type of honey is raw, unprocessed honey, as there are no additives or preservatives. This article was medically reviewed by Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, nutrition and wellness expert with a private practice based in New York City.
While light honey is often mildly sweet, dark honey is rather rich in sweet sugar. As a result, customers who prefer a sweeter version of their honey will usually choose darker honey, whereas customers who prefer more subtle sweetness will choose light honey.