From Himalayan cliffs to Greek isles: 9 regions known for honey and artisanal beekeeping

Honey is a complex product, its properties dictated by floral source, local bee species and the beekeeper’s expertise. The world’s highest quality honeys reflect a direct link to their place of origin. The specific climate and botanical conditions of a region directly influence the final flavour, texture and colour of the product. This focus drives attention toward regions where the craft of apiculture remains rooted in specialised, traditional methods rather than industrial output. These operations yield honeys that are expressions of an ecosystem and its short bloom periods. Here are nine regions where the production of this liquid gold is central to the local environment and its traditions.

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Greece, the cradle of apiculture

Greece’s history with apiculture is perhaps the deepest in the Western world, tracing its roots back to ancient mythology. The country’s unique geography, characterised by arid mountains and a plethora of endemic plants, cultivates a remarkably diverse and potent honey. Greece boasts the highest density of bee colonies in Europe, a testament to the cultural importance of the craft. One of the most prized varieties is Thyme Honey (Thymarisio), predominantly harvested from the islands and the mainland’s mountainous regions, like the Peloponnese. The dry, hot summers intensify the essential oils in the wild thyme, resulting in a light amber, intensely aromatic and slightly spicy honey.

Spain’s eucalyptus and orange blossom varieties

Bees transform nectar into liquid gold, creating the complex, regional flavours of honey (Photo: Wirestock)

Spain, a major European producer, demonstrates the diversity that comes from a landscape ranging from citrus groves to evergreen forests. Andalucia and the Levant region are well known for Orange Blossom Honey (Miel de Azahar), which has a delicate, floral aroma. In contrast, the Eucalyptus Honey produced in regions like Galicia offers a distinctly different, more medicinal and woody flavour. Spanish artisanal beekeeping is often centred on trashumancia, the long-distance movement of hives to capitalise on the sequential flowering of diverse regional flora.

Slovenia and its Carniolan heritage

Slovenia is widely regarded as the cradle of modern beekeeping in Europe. It is the original home of the Carniolan honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica), prized globally for its hardiness. Slovenian beekeepers traditionally use distinct, painted wooden hive panels. The country’s protected geographical indication (PGI) status highlights varieties like Slovenian Honey (Slovenski med) and the highly regarded Kočevje Forest Honey (Kočevski gozdni med) from the dense, varied flora of the Kočevje forests.

France: the rigour of monofloral

France applies the same rigorous terroir principles to honey as it does to wine, focusing heavily on precise monofloral varieties. Regional specialties include the pale, delicate Acacia honey from the south, the complex, pungent Chestnut honey (Miel de Châtaignier) and the thick, prized Heather honey (Miel de Bruyère). The practice of urban apiculture, with hives on famous Parisian rooftops, reflects a commitment to the craft even in modern metropolitan environments.

New Zealand and its Mānuka honey

Mānuka is the gold standard, derived from New Zealand’s native tea tree and prized for its rich, earthy flavour and its unique, certified antibacterial properties (Photo: Freepik)

New Zealand has become synonymous with a single, highly valued floral product: Mānuka Honey. Derived from the nectar of the Leptospermum scoparium shrub, this variety is dark, thick and possesses an earthy, slightly bitter undertone. The market value is driven by its non-peroxide activity (NPA) or Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) rating, which measures its antibacterial properties. The strict certification process and controlled, isolated growing environments reflect a modern, scientific approach to artisanal beekeeping, ensuring the purity of the source.

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Mexico and its stingless bees

Mexico holds a unique place for its practice of meliponiculture, the raising of native stingless bees (Meliponini), particularly in the Yucatán Peninsula. The Melipona bee is central to indigenous Mayan culture, and its honey is significantly different from that of the European honeybee. It is typically more liquid, has a lower sugar content and is valued for its tangy, sometimes sour flavour and traditional medicinal properties. The most revered species in the Yucatán is the Mayan bee (Melipona beecheii), locally called Xunan Kab (The Royal Lady Bee). Its medicinal use is significant, traditionally employed by Mayan healers to treat eye ailments and wounds, a reflection of its unique antimicrobial properties.

Nepal and the Himalayas, the region of mad honey

The high-altitude regions produce a product referred to as mad honey (Photo: Freepik)

The high-altitude regions of the Himalayas are known for a product often referred to as mad honey. This is collected by the world’s largest honeybee, Apis laboriosa, from specific high-altitude rhododendron flowers. Beekeeping is a high-risk, death-defying ritual performed by local indigenous groups who use rope ladders to access enormous open combs on sheer cliffsides. The resulting honey is unique due to the presence of grayanotoxin, a compound that gives it psychoactive properties, marking it as a globally distinct cultural and natural product.

India and its rich, floral mosaics

India is home to four out of the five known honeybee species and benefits from immense floral biodiversity. Artisanal beekeeping involves the native Indian honeybee (Apis cerana), which thrives in diverse climates, and some rural practices still rely on the challenging, high-risk hunting of wild honey from the exposed nests of the Giant rock bee (Apis dorsata). This complex species distribution allows for a wide array of specialised honeys across the subcontinent. The varied climate yields specific honeys, such as the dark, strong Buckwheat Honey from the Himalayas, the delicate, amber Lychee Honey from northern plains and rich, pure Forest Honeys from tribal lands, each capturing a unique seasonal nectar flow.

Japan’s soba honey and unique monoflorals

Japan cultivates high-quality, regionally distinct honey that reflects its focused agricultural practices. In areas where buckwheat (Soba) is grown, the production of Soba Honey is notable. This variety is intensely dark, almost black, with a robust, earthy and distinctly malty flavour. Japanese beekeepers also produce small-batch, seasonal monofloral honeys, such as delicate Acacia and subtle Tochi (Horse Chestnut) honeys, with an emphasis on the specific terroir of limited regions.

From the high-altitude, ritualistic harvests in the Himalayas to the specialised terroir-driven methods of European apiaries, each location offers a narrative captured in liquid form. The global landscape of beekeeping is defined by this dedication to place, ensuring that the unique characteristics of a given floral source—and the traditions of the people tending the bees—are preserved in every single drop of this treasured gold.

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