In Georgia, you'll find apiaries in the valleys of Kakheti, on the Javakheti highlands at over fifteen hundred meters, and on the mountain slopes of Racha. Everything depends on what's in bloom nearby: the color, the flavor, the thickness. That's why “Georgian honey” isn't one product but several very different ones.
Our catalog has five kinds of honey from five regions. Here's how they differ and which one to choose.
A bit of history
Beekeeping in Georgia is ancient. In 2003, during construction of an oil pipeline, archaeologists found clay pots with traces of honey in a burial site about 170 km west of Tbilisi. The find was estimated to be about 5,500 years old, which makes these some of the oldest traces of honey known to science. They were found in the same area our Tori pine honey comes from today.
Beekeeping is still one of the growing areas of Georgian agriculture. According to the 2024 agricultural census, the number of bee colonies in the country grew by almost 17% over ten years. We explained why in our article on Georgian farmers.
Five kinds from our catalog
Wildflower honey from Kakheti
Kakheti wildflower honey comes from many different plants, so its flavor changes a little from season to season. It's the most versatile of the five: with tea, with cheese, in baking. If you're trying Georgian honey for the first time, start here.
Creamed honey from Javakheti
Javakheti is a high plateau in southern Georgia, a land of meadows and lakes. Read more about the region in our guide to Samtskhe-Javakheti.
Creamed honey isn't a separate variety but a way of processing honey. It's whipped while it crystallizes, which makes it thick and smooth, like butter. It spreads easily on bread and doesn't run off the spoon. Javakheti creamed honey is a good choice for anyone who doesn't like honey that drips.
Pine honey from Tori
Tori is the historical name for the area around Borjomi, with the conifer forests of the Borjomi Gorge. Tori pine honey tastes noticeably different from wildflower honey: the difference is clearest when you try the two side by side.
Chestnut honey from Racha
Racha is a mountain region northeast of Kutaisi, with chestnut trees growing on its slopes. Racha chestnut honey is dark, with a distinct bitter note. Not everyone likes it, but it has devoted fans. Try it with cheese or nuts, where the bitterness fits right in.
Acacia honey from Imereti
Imereti acacia honey is light, mild and sweet, with no sharp aftertaste. It's high in fructose, so it stays liquid for a long time and crystallizes more slowly than the others. If you don't know the tastes of the person you're buying a gift for, acacia is a safe bet.
How to choose
- Trying Georgian honey for the first time: wildflower honey from Kakheti.
- You like a mild taste: acacia honey from Imereti.
- You like something rich and unusual: chestnut honey from Racha.
- You want to surprise someone with texture: creamed honey from Javakheti.
- You can't decide: take two contrasting ones, acacia and chestnut, and compare.
Gozinaki: honey and nuts for New Year's
The best-known Georgian dish made with honey is gozinaki: walnuts cooked in honey. No New Year's table in Georgia is complete without it, and you can make it in any kitchen in half an hour.
- Lightly toast 500 g of walnuts in a dry pan and chop them coarsely.
- Bring 250–300 g of honey to a boil and simmer over low heat for a few minutes, until it turns a shade darker.
- Stir in the nuts and keep stirring for another 5–7 minutes, until the honey coats them.
- Turn the mixture out onto a wet board, spread it into a layer about a centimeter thick and cut it into diamonds while it's still warm.
Runny honey with a mild flavor works best for gozinaki: wildflower or acacia. Chestnut will add a noticeable bitterness, which some people find even more interesting.
My honey has crystallized. Is that normal?
Yes. Crystallization is a natural process, and it isn't a sign that honey is fake or has gone bad. How fast it happens depends on the honey's composition: acacia can stay liquid for a long time, while wildflower honey crystallizes faster.
To make honey runny again, put the open jar in warm water, no hotter than 40°C, and stir. High heat and the microwave ruin the flavor and aroma.
How to store it
- A tightly closed jar, room temperature, out of direct sunlight.
- No need to refrigerate.
- Use only a dry spoon: water in the jar spoils honey faster than anything else.
How to get it home
At airport security, honey counts as a liquid. A 300 g jar won't be allowed in the cabin, so pack it in your checked baggage: put it in a zip-lock bag, wrap it in clothes and place it in the middle of your suitcase. If you're taking honey to another country, check the import rules: in the EU, for example, meat and dairy products aren't allowed in, and there's a weight limit for honey.
For more ideas on what to take home with your honey, see our article “What to bring back from Georgia as gifts”.
In short
- Georgian honey varies a lot from region to region: our catalog has five kinds, from Kakheti, Javakheti, Tori, Racha and Imereti.
- For a first taste, try wildflower; for a gift when you're not sure of someone's taste, acacia; for fans of bold flavor, chestnut.
- Crystallization is a natural process, not a sign of fake honey.
- Store honey in a closed jar at room temperature and scoop it only with a dry spoon.
- When flying, honey goes in checked baggage only: at security it counts as a liquid.