5 Most Expensive Honeys and Why They’re Worth It

1. Sidr Honey

Origins

Sidr honey, especially the Yemeni Sidr honey, is among the most expensive honey varieties, and there are good reasons for that. This honey is native mainly to Yemen and some areas of Saudi Arabia. In Yemen, this honey comes from the remote mountains in the Hadramaut region.

To make this honey, bees forage the Sidr trees, also known as the Lote Tree or the Tree of Life. Sidr honey is believed to possess exceptional healing properties, which is why it has been a key ingredient in ancient medicine for over a millennium.

Key Features

• This honey ranges from rich golden to amber color with reddish undertones.

• Sidr honey has a very thick, viscous, and creamy texture.

• The complex flavor of this honey includes herbal, floral, and bitter notes.

• Sidr honey crystallizes slowly compared to regular honey.

What Makes it Special?

There are many things that lead to Sidr honey’s high price, and at the top of the list is its rarity. This honey is only produced in the autumn and winter seasons when Sidr trees are in full bloom in the regions of Yemen. These seasons come in a time between September and November, which gives beekeepers very little window for harvesting this precious substance.

Beekeepers in Yemen still use age-old honey harvesting practices instead of commercial tools, which gives you 100% pure honey. Sidr honey is hailed globally for its impressive nutritional profile, which makes it a perfect addition to your daily diet.

2. Manuka Honey

Origins

This is another rare and expensive honey variety that comes exclusively from New Zealand. This honey is made from the nectar of the Manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which is believed to have potent therapeutic and antibacterial properties.

Key Features

• Manuka honey has a dark cream to dark brown hue.

• This honey has a very viscous and thick consistency.

• The flavor of Manuka honey can be described as rich, earthy, and slightly bitter.

• Manuka honey has a lower water and higher glucose content, which can lead to its faster crystallization.

• This honey has a very high MGO content, which gives it superior antibacterial features.

What Makes it Special?

Manuka honey is so expensive due to its exceptional healing prowess. This honey can fight off bacteria, reduce inflammation, suppress coughing, heal minor wounds, and enhance both digestive and oral health.

This honey mainly comes from northern New Zealand, and its limited production and high demand lead to a very high price tag. Manuka flowers bloom only for a period of 2 to 6 weeks, which gives little time to the bees to collect the nectar and to the beekeepers to harvest the honey.

3. Elvish Honey

Origins

Also known as Red Honey or Anzer Honey, the Elvish honey comes from Turkey’s black sea region, mainly from the remote Anzer Highlands. Bees make this honey from the nectar of rhododendron plants that are found in the remote and challenging terrains inside the caves in the region.

Beekeepers extract this honey two to three times a year from deep inside the caves using labor-intensive harvesting methods.

Key Features

• Elvish honey possesses a golden to deep burgundy hue that resembles aged wine.

• This honey possesses a thick, smooth, and velvety texture.

• The flavor of Elvish honey contains a mix of slightly sweet and bitter notes with hints of vanilla and molasses in some cases.

• The unique composition of Elvish honey gives it a very slow crystallization rate.

• This honey is rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium. 

What Makes it Special?

Elvish honey is extremely rare and special because of the labor-intensive practices that go into its harvesting. Beekeepers have to traverse and climb treacherous terrains and steep slopes to access the hives.

The harsh harvesting conditions, combined with the limited flowering of the rhododendron blossoms, lead to limited production of Elvish honey. This honey possesses exceptional medicinal properties due to its high MGO, antioxidant, and enzyme contents, which further drive up its price.

4. Tualang Honey

Origins

This expensive organic honey variety hails from the regions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, where bees collect the nectar from the Tualang tree (Koompassia excelsa) to make this rare substance. Tualang trees grow in very specific climates, and they can be as high as 290 feet  

This honey is revered globally for its remarkable antioxidant properties, distinct flavor profile, and high purity. 

Key Features

• Based on the geographical and floral origins, this honey can have red, yellow, dark brown, or even black color.

• This honey has a complex flavor profile that is a mix of bitter, sweet, sour, and floral notes.

• This honey possesses a smooth, creamy consistency.

• In raw and unfiltered form, this honey can crystallize quickly due to its high glucose and low water content.

What Makes it Special?

This honey has a limited production due to very challenging harvesting conditions. Climbers have to access the hives at heights of about 80 meters or above to collect this pure honey.

This honey is so expensive because it has a higher antioxidant, mineral, and vitamin content. This honey is produced in a pesticide-free and pristine environment, which gives it remarkable therapeutic properties.

5. Acacia Honey

Origins

Acacia honey is made from the nectar of Robinia pseudoacacia tree blossoms, also known as black locust trees. These trees are native to both America and Europe. Europeans label it as Acacia honey, while honey from America usually comes with the label American acacia or locust honey.

Key Features

• The color of the Acacia honey ranges from pale yellow to almost transparent.

• This honey possesses a mildly sweet and floral flavor with hints of almond and vanilla.

• This honey has a very smooth and runny texture.

• Acacia honey has a higher fructose content, which leads to its slower crystallization rate.

• This honey has a lower glycemic index, which makes it perfect for people with diabetes.

What Makes it Special?

This honey is so special and costly because the black locust flowers only bloom for 5 to 10 days, giving very little to the bees for collecting the nectar. The harvesting is also done using traditional methods, keeping things like weather and nectar flow in mind.

Acacia honey is a powerhouse of nutrients. It contains antioxidants like phenols, minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, Vitamins B, C, and A, and healthy enzymes such as glucose oxidase.

The use of this honey prevents seasonal allergies, keeps your skin fresh, reduces blood sugar levels, and regulates your cardiovascular functions, giving you a healthier mind and body. 

Conclusion

For a true honey enthusiast, there is no greater joy than discovering exotic new honey varieties that look, taste, and feel different than regular store-bought honey.

The honey varieties mentioned in this blog have no match when it comes to their rarity, exclusivity, and quality, which is exactly why they usually come with a higher price tag.

The high prices of these honey varieties reflect the skill, effort, and dedication of native beekeepers who go to great lengths to bring you these products.

So, the next time you come across these honey variations, make sure to take a moment and appreciate their uniqueness and the impressive work done by both the bees and the beekeepers.

You can visit us at Geohoney to check out our pure organic honey products that are sourced from trusted suppliers from all across the globe.