16 Types Of Honey And Where They Come From

Humans have loved honey for thousands of years — both as a sticky, sweet treat and as a savory ingredient. A staple of household pantries and the finest restaurants, there are many reasons why honey is so enduringly popular: From the wide range of flavors and how easy it is to store, to its considerable health benefits.

Bees make the majority of all honey (some wasps and the honeypot ant also get in on the action), generating tons of the golden liquid every year. But not everything we see on supermarket shelves is the same. Today, there are hundreds of varieties sold worldwide, with per-jar prices ranging from a few dollars to more than $1,000. 

Aside from threats of climate change and colony loss, there's an entire industry dedicated to adulterated or fake honey, generating products that are little more than a blend of sugars and driving honey prices down. Let's focus on the real deal and explore 16 types of honey, from the commonplace to the rare, and where they come from.

Fossils indicate bees appeared alongside flowers in the Cretaceous period, between 146 and 74 million years ago. As well as playing a crucial role in pollinating around $15 billion-worth of domestic crops, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, these hard-working insects also make five products: Royal jelly, propolis, wax, pollen, and honey. 

If more people knew that nectar, stored by bees in a special stomach, was essentially barfed up, chewed by other bees and barfed up again several times to create honey, we might like it a bit less. As it stands, humans have enjoyed it for thousands of years, for its flavor, the fact it lasts forever (archeologists have tasted 3,000-year-old honey), and its incredible antibacterial and healing properties. 

Unsurprisingly, honey is big business. In 2023, North Dakota topped the list of states producing the amber nectar, generating more than 38 million pounds. Although beekeepers face dwindling insect numbers – the USDA reported between 650,000 and 780,000 colonies lost in 2023 — the global honey market is thriving, with more than 300 types available, including raw, unfiltered, organic, single-source, and multi-flower, offering a dazzling array of colors and flavors. 

Mānuka honey is produced globally but originally it came exclusively from New Zealand. Considering the native mānuka bush (leptospermum scoparium) only flowers for between two and six weeks per year, and the blooms are so delicate that even a small change in weather can affect them, it's a wonder any is collected at all.

Luckily, bees are a tenacious bunch — each one has to collect nectar from 22,700 mānuka flowers to produce enough honey for a single 17 ounce jar. What makes this type of honey so sought after isn't just its sweet, deeply caramel taste: It also has the most antibacterial properties of all honey. 

That's down to chemical compounds found in mānuka flower nectar: Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), methylglyoxal (MGO), and leptosperin. They imbue manuka honey with incredible abilities to tackle inflammation, bacteria, and fungal infections, as well as helping inhibit free radical production. If you have a sore throat, Mānuka honey might help. 

We have North America to thank for acacia honey, which doesn't come from the acacia blooms. Black locust (Robinia pseudocacia) trees — native to the United States — were planted across Europe and it's their flowers supplying bees with the necessary nectar. The home-grown variety is more accurately labeled black locust or American acacia honey. 

Like mānuka honey, acacia has many health benefits. It is packed with flavonoids that are antioxidants but most people are drawn to acacia honey for its delicate taste. That changes depending on where it's produced, with flavors ranging from fresh hay and peas to vanilla and citrus.

Its color varies from almost clear to pale gold, while the thin, smooth texture means acacia honey is unlikely to crystallize when stored. Delicious with Greek yogurt for breakfast, or the perfect glaze for a tasty salmon fillet, acacia honey is as flexible as it is moreish.

There are between 250 and 300 plants of the Trifolium genus – also known as clovers — found all over the world. But only a handful are suitable for honey production. They include white, crimson, sweet, alsike, and berseem clover. Obviously, honey is super popular in the United States, with roughly 382 million pounds of it consumed in 2023 – the majority of which was clover honey. 

Like several honey types, clover honey can have many labels, including raw or unpasteurized, unfiltered, GMO-free, single source, or multi-flower – i.e. using nectar from a single plant or several. Clover honey has a milder, less bitter taste than other forms — it is both floral and sweet, with hints of fruity jam and cinnamon. 

Colors range from clear to a pale yellow, depending on the plant the bees harvest nectar from. Clover honey is the ideal way to elevate a cheeseboard, while adding a dash to a pasta salad will give it a whole new spin.

Essential oil from the Eucalyptus camaldulensis tree helps fight colds and chest infections, while honey from its flowers is good for us too: It has antibacterial and antiseptic benefits, and contains high levels of flavonoids. Eucalyptus honey is produced all over the world, from Australia, South Africa, and the United States, to the Mediterranean, and is a monofloral type — all honey comes from the same tree species.

This type of honey also carries a compound called cineol or eucalyptol, which has several health benefits, including boosting the immune system and helping to regulate blood pressure. However, cineol can also be toxic if consumed in large quantities, so moderation is definitely key.

Eucalyptus honey has a rich amber color and a complex earthy flavor, packed with caramel and menthol notes — but its aroma is unmistakable: Think damp wood! Pair it with a shrimp cocktail for a knockout starter, or use it to make a sweet and sour sauce.

Dubbed "the champagne of honeys" by beekeepers, this exceptionally light, buttery-tasting liquid comes from the nectar of fireweed flowers (Chamaenerion angustifolium) that grow across Northern America, as well as Scandinavia, the U.K. and New Zealand. 

Because fireweed grows wild, it can be tricky for beekeepers to ensure that insects only gather nectar from this single source. To prove their purity, some companies have their products 'fingerprinted' by authenticators. A good rule of thumb is to check the color: Pure fireweed honey is paler and has a slight green shade, while multi-source honey will be darker.

Fireweed plants — named because of their habit of flourishing in areas devastated by fire – produce honey rich in antioxidants. Drizzle over some freshly washed apples for a healthy treat or switch out sugar for a spoonful on a bowl of cereal.

One of the most popular types of honey, the orange blossom variety is produced across the world, as well as in the United States. Like many honeys, it is packed with antioxidants, while its anti-inflammatory, soothing properties can nourish hair, and help people who are troubled by acne or eczema-prone skin. 

Orange blossom honey is pale gold in color and, thanks to higher levels of fructose, it's sweeter than other varieties. The floral flavor has a slightly sharp edge, and there's no mistaking the heavenly citrus aroma when cracking open a fresh jar. 

On top of that, it's very popular among home cooks and professional chefs for its versatility. Give baked or roasted meats some extra oomph with an orange blossom honey glaze, use it as the perfect finishing touch for a range of grilled fruit, or simply stir into coffee and tea for a dash of sweetness.

You could be forgiven for mistaking a jar of buckwheat honey for one of molasses: They are both so dark and rich-looking. We have the tiny flowers of the buckwheat plant to thank for that, as well as the traditional health benefits that come with honey, from easing coughs to boosting energy levels. 

When it comes to flavor, buckwheat honey is as divisive as Marmite: People either love it or loathe it. Best described as having a strong flavor, buckwheat is a thick, intense honey that gets much of its malty, earthy taste from the plant itself, and indeed has echoes of molasses.

You can devour spoonfuls of it straight from the jar but it's also the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of ice cream nachos. If you would rather have something a bit less indulgent, stir it into a hot cup of tea or pour over yogurt for a saintly-but-sweet breakfast.

There are several varieties of sage honey made from different salvia plants, with the United States among the leading global producers. California is home to black sage (salvia mellifera) and white sage (salvia apiana), while Texas is famed for its purple-colored sage (salvia leucophylla). 

Colors vary, depending on the flower, ranging from pale yellow to Texan honey that is almost as dark as buckwheat. Sage honey is quite thick, with an aroma that reflects the arid conditions the plant grows in: Expect hints of juniper and pine, alongside a soft, buttery flavor, while some Californian varieties taste of bubble gum. 

Sage honey is notable for being slow to crystallize and having all the medicinal properties of other honeys. However, if you are allergic to the sage herb, it's worth giving it a wide berth. For anyone else keen to try it, if you've mastered the art of making pancakes, it makes a magnificent topping.

Produced in locations with a suitably tropical climate, including Central America, Australia and California, avocado blossom honey is a specialty product that might be trickier to get hold of than other types of honey but is definitely worth going the extra mile for. 

It's a challenge for beekeepers to harvest this honey solely from avocado flowers, whose high potassium and phosphorus levels are a no-no with bees, so more often than not it's a multi-source honey. The color and thick texture is akin to buckwheat and Texan sage honey but avocado honey is less bitter and more creamy and buttery in flavor. 

Many people use it as a healthier replacement for cane or white sugar, relishing the richness it brings to cakes, cookies, and other baked items. Avocado blossom honey also works well with savory foods, whether it's paired with a chunk of authentic Parmesan or slicked across a slice of rustic bread.

If the flavor of single-source types of honey remains the same (more or less) from season to season, wildflower honey is rarely the same twice. Produced all over the world, from Mongolia to the United States, it only becomes true wildflower honey when the liquid inside the honeycomb frames — gathered from multiple flower sources — is released and mixed together. 

The diversity of flowers gives wildflower honey its incredible variety of colors, running from pale yellow to amber, and a complex blend of flavors ranging from mild to robust, depending on the nectar source and its environment. 

Alongside the usual health benefits from wildflower honey, including bolstering immune health and wound healing, it's an excellent accompaniment to a range of foods and drinks. It's delicious in marinades: Swap out the brown sugar in this tasty steak rub, or reach for a jar the next time you're whipping up cocktails or mocktails.

Blueberries have been growing across North America for around 13,000 years.Although there's no date for when blueberry honey production began, beekeepers in the Northeastern United States and Canada are definitely benefiting from its popularity.

Studies have found that blueberries can help reduce the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes. Combine that with the health benefits of honey and suddenly even a small jar of blueberry honey becomes a mighty superfood. Colors vary from pale gold to deep amber, depending on where the flowers were grown, the aroma evokes citrus and greenery, while the flavor can be intensely sweet, fruity and buttery. 

Blueberry honey is beloved by foodies because it can be added to such a variety of dishes. A spoonful swirled into a bowl of nutritious oatmeal gives it a decadent touch, it's a healthier alternative to sugar in hot drinks, and a delicious glaze for fish or chicken.

When it comes to versatile vegetables, carrots are tough to beat. But did you know they're also behind one of the less common honey varieties? Although carrots are grown all over the world, honey from carrot flowers is mainly produced in France and Oregon. 

The blossoms only appear the year after initial planting. However, there's a downside for carrot fans: Any vegetables that grow after blooming are too woody to eat. For honey lovers, the sacrifice is worth it for this rare treat. The end result is a sweet, dark amber honey that smells and tastes of earthy chocolate and toffee, with hints of almonds and, of course, carrot — plus a yummy, creamy mouthfeel. 

Tip: You can drizzle carrot honey over a pile of the root veggies to enhance flavor, but why not mix it into a barbecue marinade or vinaigrette, or incorporate it into this traditional Rosh Hashanah carrot dish?

There are many reasons why a specific honey is considered rare. In the case of Tupelo honey, the cause is the Nyssa Ogeche tree, also known as White Tupelo, White Gum Tupelo or Ogeechee Lime, which grows in the Apalachicola River Basin, covering Georgia, Alabama and Florida. 

These trees flower for just 10 days a year, and the nectar from those growing on the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, part of the Southern Cypress Swamp, is so highly prized, some beekeepers certify the purity of their products via chemical analysis. 

Devotees of Tupelo honey know it's worth the extra effort. With a yellow-green color and extremely slow crystallization rate — thanks to the high level of fructose — it's one of the sweeter varieties. Tupelo honey has a floral aroma, alongside cinnamon and buttery flavors. It's delicious stirred into hot or iced tea, while a jar next to an artfully arranged charcuterie board makes a nice talking point.

The Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific were home to Fletcher Christian after his mutiny on The Bounty, and it's also the home of Pitcairn honey. The four main islands cover just 18 square miles, and are blessed with an array of exotic flowers, of which three are the main sources of the celebrated honey: The Roseapple tree, the miro plant and the Tamanu tree. 

Unsurprisingly, this tiny place only produces a few hundred pounds per year, but it's got some heavyweight admirers. Queen Elizabeth II and then-Prince Charles liked Pitcairn honey so much, they sent a fan letter to the islanders to express their appreciation.

And as noted by Miel Imperial: "... it's worth pointing out that this natural honey is extracted in a virtually pristine environment, untouched by pollution ... So it's a haven of peace for bees, who can forage freely among the countless wildflowers that grow on the island." 

We've covered honey's health properties but one specific type also has a euphoric quality that has seen it dubbed 'mad' honey. Most commonly produced in the region around the Black Sea and Turkey, it relies on two or three rhododendron species, including Rhododrendron ponticum and Rhododendron luteum, whose nectar contains the neurotoxin grayanotoxin.

People who consume this honey experience light-headedness and even hallucinations, but some simply take it to help them relax or sleep. Unlike traditional varieties, mad honey is best taken a little at a time, rather than heavily slathered on bread.

Notable for its bitter taste that irritates the back of the throat, it may not be all bad. U.K. journalist Johnny Morris wrote in The Telegraph after buying some from a Turkish seller: "His mad honey is a gorgeous glowing amber color with an intense sweet flavor of steamed treacle pudding. The taste lingers as it slides down your throat and the whole experience is dangerously moreish."

The Black Sea area is also home to the magical-sounding Elvish honey, deemed rare because so little of it is produced every year. Caucasian Grey bees gather nectar from flowers growing in the Arhavi mountains in northeastern Turkey, generating just 11 pounds of honey in 2024.

There is a lot of tradition behind Elvish honey, from the use of wooden honeycombs and strenuous efforts to protect the highly biodiverse Arhavi ecosystem, but perhaps most surprising is the fact only half the honey the bees produce is sold. 

The company brochure says: "There's a marker in the middle of the honeycombs. Honey beyond this stick is harvested, while honey behind it is left to the bees. If there is no honey beyond the marker, there will be no honey harvest that year." While it explains the whopping $1,500 price tag, the firm's owners have also pledged to use half their profits to protect the Arhavi region.