On the last day of a trip there's rarely time left for the market, and at the airport the choice is small and the prices are high. It's easier to sort out your gifts in advance and online: order them for delivery in Tbilisi and pack your suitcase at a relaxed pace the day before you fly.
Below: what travels well, and where to pack it.
Three questions before you buy
- Will it survive the trip? Honey, spices, churchkhela and fruit leather are fine in a suitcase for several days. Fresh cheese and herbs aren't.
- Will it get through security? Anything liquid or paste-like, such as honey, adjika and tkemali, goes in checked baggage. More on that below.
- Can you bring it into your destination country? Rules vary. In the EU, for example, travelers can't bring in meat or dairy products from outside the EU, and there's a weight limit for honey. Check your country's rules before you buy.
Honey
Georgian honey varies a lot from region to region, so our catalog has five kinds:
- Kakheti wildflower honey — versatile, good with tea and cheese;
- Javakheti creamed honey — thick, spreads like butter;
- Tori pine honey — from the Borjomi Gorge;
- Racha chestnut honey — dark, slightly bitter;
- Imereti acacia honey — light and mild.
Not sure what they like? Go for acacia or wildflower. Want to surprise them? Pick two contrasting ones: acacia and chestnut. More on each in our article “Georgian honey from five regions”.
Churchkhela and fruit leather
Churchkhela is the most recognizable Georgian gift, and it's no trouble in your carry-on.
- Kakheti churchkhela with walnut — the classic.
- Imereti churchkhela with hazelnut in a gift box — a ready-made gift, no wrapping needed.
- Tkemali pastila — sour fruit leather for kharcho and sauces, a treat for anyone who cooks.
- Prune pastila — sweet, to go with tea.
We cover how to choose and store them in our article on churchkhela and tklapi.
Spices and sauces
These are the gifts that last longest in someone else's kitchen after your trip.
- Svan salt — salt with garlic and spices, for potatoes, eggs, vegetables and meat.
- Megrelian adjika — a hot red pepper paste for those who like it spicy.
- Tkemali — a sour plum sauce for meat and potatoes.
- Georgian spice gift box — if you want one gift rather than three little jars.
For what to eat them with, see our article on Svan salt, adjika and tkemali.
Wine
- Amber qvevri wine — made from white grapes fermented with their skins in a qvevri, a clay vessel. UNESCO lists the Georgian qvevri winemaking method as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Dry red wine — a safe choice if you're not sure they like amber wine.
Both wines are from the CH'VENTAN winery. Alcohol allowances depend on the country: check them along with the food rules.
Postcards
You can add a postcard from Georgia or a set of five postcards to any gift. They weigh almost nothing, take up no space, and a handwritten note turns a jar of honey into a present.
How to get it all home
In your carry-on — only what doesn't count as a liquid: churchkhela, fruit leather, dry spices in small packs, postcards. At security, honey, adjika and tkemali count as liquids, and most airports limit them to 100 ml per container. A 300 g jar of honey won't be allowed in the cabin.
In checked baggage — everything in glass:
- Put each jar and bottle in its own zip-lock bag: if one cracks, the rest stay safe.
- Wrap them in clothes and pack them in the middle of the suitcase, away from the sides.
- Put jars near the wheels and churchkhela and fruit leather on top, so the glass doesn't press on them.
A jar of honey in a bag and a sweater: that's how it makes it home!
When to order
Don't leave it until the day you fly. Some items we bring in to order, and the lead time is shown on each product page. If you need your gifts by a certain date, message us before ordering on WhatsApp (+995 591 017 945) or Telegram, and we'll tell you whether we can make it.
In short
- Honey, churchkhela, fruit leather, spices and sauces, wine and postcards all travel well.
- Honey, adjika and tkemali go in checked baggage only, each jar in its own bag.
- Churchkhela, fruit leather, dry spices and postcards can go in your carry-on.
- Rules on bringing in food and alcohol depend on the country, so check before you buy.
- Order ahead: each item's delivery time is shown on its product page.