How to Taste Honey Like an Expert

Picture this: it’s a beautiful day in late spring. Let’s say, April 25th — the perfect date.

You wake up on a lazy Sunday thinking: “I need to host a dinner party. Or a luncheon. Or a brunch. Or a bruncheon. SOMETHING. If I don’t host something, I will literally explode.”

So what do you do? Cook a whole four-course meal and invite the girl gang over last minute?

Of course not.

You do something far easier. Far more economical. And far more full of wine. 

You host a honey tasting party.

Here’s all you need to get started. And, odds are, it’s conveniently available at your local Whole Foods. Just grab a charcuterie board, a few bottles of raw & unfiltered varietal honey (we suggest Local Hive, but if you can support a local beekeeper – that’s great too!) and whichever friends are smart enough to join you for what’s sure to be an incredibly delicious afternoon.

Honey Flight #1: New England 

Where do you go when you don’t know where to go? New England. And not just because it’s beautiful in the fall. With fields of berries and rolling hills full of all kinds of flora, New England makes for a rich, multilayered honey with a hint of berry sweetness.

This fan-favorite honey goes with everything, but pair it with a creamy dollop of ricotta, the smoky, buttery bitterness of toasted pine nuts, and an acidic, herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc, and you’ve got a flight straight from New England…to Flavortown 😎

Honey Flight #2: Midwest

Now, we get adventurous. “Midwest” might not sound particularly crazy to you, but the honey that comes out of America’s Heartland is a breath of fresh air compared to the typical swill that comes in bear-shaped bottles.

Local Hive Midwest Honey Blend has a bright, long-lasting, and richly complex flavor. The longer you sit with it, the more you’ll taste. So drizzle it on a crumble of Blue Wensleydale – a colorful, but surprisingly mellow cheese – and sit back as those layers of flavor unravel across your tastebuds. Then, layer in a bite of fresh grilled fruit while it’s still warm – peaches and pears are the best, trust – and wash it all down with a bit of Brut Champagne.

Expert tip: cheap out on the Champagne, not the cheese 🧀

Honey Flight #3: Rocky Mountain

Local Hive Rocky Mountain is sweet. Like, really sweet. Think cotton candy with some warm, floral overtones. So, pair it with a dry, full-bodied white like your favorite Chardonnay to balance it out.

Then, to take it up a notch, try nice, salty hard cheese like the exquisite Merlot Bellavitano. Could you also pair it with a bottle of Merlot? Sure. But at this point, we’re two bottles of wine deep, and feeling unhinged.

To make it absolute perfection, drizzle some Rocky Mountain honey over dried cherries and a cracker. You just might never go back to raisins again.

Once you’re three honey boards in, you’re basically a honey connoisseur. Learn everything else you need to know in our blog series on tasting honey:

 

100 Years of 100% U.S. Honey

This recipe is part of our #100waystousehoney series, celebrating 100 years of 100% U.S. honey.

Throughout 2024, you can shop our limited-edition 1924 Golden Age Wildflower honey blend. It's an exclusive, 100% U.S. wildflower honey blend with a mellow, but flowery taste.

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