Rare Finds: Uncommon Types of Honey Around the World

With over 300 different types of honey currently circulating in the markets around the globe, it is fair to say that one cannot easily get a taste of them all. Some types of monofloral honey are available easily owing to the abundance of the plants that bees forage to collect the nectar.

On the other hand, some plants are so scarce that the bees don’t get a chance to collect their nectar in large amounts. This article celebrates some of the most uncommon and rare types of raw honey that are only specific to certain parts of the world.

The CEO of BA Barry group and the mastermind behind GEOHONEY Mr. Basem Barry says

“This is what makes monofloral honey so special to me: no matter where you go you always manage to find something different and unique in terms of taste and texture.”

And with that thought, let’s go ahead and discuss some of the rarest honey types around the world in detail.

• Pitcairn Honey
• Baobab Honey
• Tupelo Honey
• Honeydew Honey
• Mad Honey
• Coffee Blossom Honey
• Elvish Honey

1. Pitcairn Honey:

You can easily figure out how rare this monofloral honey is by considering this. It is collected from the nectar of passionfruit, guava, mango, and rose apple flowers found in the Pitcairn region located in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean.

Pitcairn Islands or British Polynesia is the least populous national jurisdiction in the entire world making it home to the most disease-free bee population.  This airport-less archipelago is about 700km from French Polynesia’s Mangareva Island and has only about 50 residents.

The pesticide-free honey found here has a very rich taste and a clear amber color. The honey produced here has been a top priority for the British Royals especially Queen Elizabeth II for decades.   

1. Baobab Honey:

Found mainly in the Kayes region of Mali, this monofloral honey features a dark amber color with a sharp and unique aroma. This honey is abundant near the Senegalese border where the locals use it for the treatment of gastric ailments, stretch marks, and wrinkles.

Baobab honey is rich in fibers and vitamin C making it ideal for strengthening your immune system.

1. Tupelo Honey:

This is another rare and exotic honey type that is extracted from the nectar of the Tupelo Gum Tree. This tree is found mainly along the Chipola and Apalachicola rivers flowing through the Northwestern region of Florida. 

This monofloral honey is characterized by a subtly gold amber color with a slight greenish cast. Its unique floral fragrance and distinct taste make it a great natural alternative to syrups that you use for breakfast and in recipes.

1. Honeydew Honey:

What makes this honey so special and rare is that it is not directly collected from the nectar of flowers. First insects like ants and aphids feed on the sap of flowers. Then they secrete a liquid called honeydew after piercing certain fragile parts of flora.

Bees collect the honeydew and treat it just like the nectar from flowers to create honeydew honey. This expensive monofloral honey is mostly found in New Zealand and some parts of Europe and it features a dark color and a sharp and strong flavor.

1. Mad Honey:

This honey is made from the nectar of rhododendron plants found in Nepal’s Himalayan range and Turkey. This honey is known for its crimson color and slightly bitter taste. 

This honey has garnered the name Mad Honey as it is believed to temporarily affect your senses. The reason for this is the high grayanotoxin content found in rhododendrons.

This monofloral honey is harvested by skilled beekeepers who make perilous journeys across vertical mountains to access the hives. The extremely difficult harvesting process and limited geographical context make this honey among the most rare and expensive ones.

1. Coffee Blossom Honey:

Coffee blossom honey is created by the bees from the coffee farms found in the Western Highlands of Guatemala mainly in the Huehuetenango region. The coffee farmers and beekeepers of this region have been collaborating for years to create this natural delicacy.

This monofloral honey is known for its thick texture and clear gold color. Its subtle sweet taste resembles brown sugar and vanilla with hints of peach and citrus. The presence of caffeine in the nectar also adds a bit of it to the final product which further makes it unique.

1. Elvish Honey:

Elvish honey has its origins in the Saricayir valley located near the Artvin City of Turkey. This honey was discovered by a man named Gunay Gunduz back in 2009 who followed swarms of bees to a crevice leading to a 1800-meter-deep cave.

This monofloral honey was then sent to France for testing which revealed it had a very high mineral and nutrient content. This honey is among the most expensive ones owing to its extremely difficult and resource-demanding harvesting procedure.

Conclusion

There is nothing more exciting for a genuine honey enthusiast than coming across some new and exotic honey types that they can add to their regular diet. The monofloral honey varieties we have mentioned here all have unique tastes, textures, and colors that encapsulate the features of the flora from those regions.

The honey types you see above are rare not only due to the scarcity of their respective plants but also owing to the difficult harvesting processes that are employed to obtain these sweet delights.

Geohoney is the leading honey brand based in Dubai with over 130 farms equipped with the latest new-tech monofloral initiatives. Our 100% pure, raw, and natural monofloral honey is carefully prepared using single nectar sources which ensures both a high concentration of nutrients and enzymes.

Working with worldwide beekeepers from more than 53 countries Goehoney strives to produce monofloral honey that meets the highest global quality control standards while using environmentally sustainable resources and adhering to socially responsible policies.

Visit GEOHONEY today to order from our wide range of pure rare honey types gathered from farms around the world.