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15 best honeys to keep in your store cupboard, according to the GHI
From golden runny honey to medicinal manuka, discover the best honeys to buy now
Tested by JoJo AnastasiouFood and Drinks Tester
There’s something particularly comforting about honey, whether it’s spread over hot buttered toast, drizzled over sponge cake, spooned over baked feta, or dolloped on Greek yoghurt. Some honeys are also known to have certain medicinal properties, meaning it’s a great choice for swirling into cups of tea to soothe sore throats.
With so many honeys on the market, it can be tricky to choose one without trying them all… which is why we’ve done the hard work for you. The GHI’s expert testers have been busy bees tasting their way through 26 honeys to bring you the best ones to buy now.
So, whether you like yours runny or set, immensely sweet, flavoured with lavender, or a little savoury, we’ve got a honey to suit you.
What are the best honeys?
Here are our top-rated pots and squeezy bottles at a glance but read on for our detailed reviews:
What is manuka honey?
Manuka honey comes from the manuka tree, which only blooms for two to three months a year and is found exclusively in New Zealand. For this reason, it usually costs more than regular honey and it also tends to be thicker and darker.
It’s often referred to as medicinal honey because of its antibacterial properties, which can help to relieve colds and viruses during the chillier months.
Because of manuka honey’s unique properties, we’ve separated it out in our round-up below.
How we test honey
We served a range of honeys blind to a panel of expert testers, including several beekeepers. We were looking for honeys with a complex flavour and aroma along with distinct floral notes that reflected the flowers and region where the honey was produced.
Testers tasted a range of honeys from runny to thick and creamy. These are the ones that have them buzzing.
This article was updated in June to reflect the latest prices and savings.
Score: 81/100
Sourced in the Scottish Highlands, this classic heather honey is semi-set with a dark brown caramel colour. The flavour is packed with rich, butterscotch sweetness and baked fruit, rounded out with hints of citrus and a slight woodiness. Multiple testers suggested it would make a perfect pairing with cheese, particularly a strong cheddar.
Score: 78/100
Golden yellow in colour, this 100% raw and unprocessed runny honey is exceptionally light and smooth. With a mild caramelised sweetness, the flavour is very floral, with notes of honeysuckle and jasmine paired with hints of citrus and liquorice. Delicious on sourdough, Greek yoghurt, and just about everything in between.
Score: 78/100
Thick and filled with the trapped air bubbles indicative of a good quality heather honey, this has a slightly chewy honeycomb texture, which was one of the highlights for many of our testers. The long-lasting flavour is complex with toffee, sugar, apricots and winter spices, balanced by the more bitter notes of orange peel and beeswax.
Score: 77/100
Amber-gold with a very smooth runny consistency, this budget-friendly honey won our panel over with its flavour (think: sweet citrus, dark treacle and herbaceous notes of mint) and smooth texture, which is made for serving over breakfast pancakes and porridge.
Score: 76/100
This runny honey has the perfect consistency for drizzling on toast or sponge cake, with a clear amber colour. It does have a slightly medicinal element, reminiscent of lemon and honey cough drops, but our testers enjoyed the notable citrus flavour.
Abel & Cole Raw Clear Honey, Organic, Equal Exchange (500g)
Score: 75/100
Our panel found the texture of this light golden runny honey had just the right amount of stickiness. Notes of caramel, vanilla and resin come together with a bright, zesty fruitiness for long-lasting flavour.
Spoon onto yoghurt or toast or add to lemon and ginger tea and relax in the knowledge that this honey not only tastes good, but also does good – it’s sustainably sourced by Equal Exchange, which champions the rights of honey producers around the world.
Score: 75/100
Though not a set honey, this is thick and almost jelly-like in texture. Its flavour is bold and packed with dried fruit, spices and heather. Some testers found it a little bitter, while others loved that it wasn’t too sweet.
Score: 74/100
With a light golden yellow colour, this clear honey is quite thin but very sticky in texture. Its flavour is that of a classic blossom honey with a lightly fruity, apricot note. A great choice for those with a sweet tooth.
Score: 74/100
Very runny and light golden with a mild floral and fruity aroma, testers were surprised by the bold flavours, with notes of stone fruit, such as peach and nectarine, combining well with rose and geranium.
Score: 72/100
Very clear with a light yellow hue, this honey is runny but on the stickier side. With mild aromas of floral and pollen, the flavour is very classic and well balanced; fresh and fruity with a subtly woody aftertaste.
Score: 72/100
Dark and rich with a thick, sticky texture that’s still pourable, this one is ideal for marinades and glazes, or simply dolloping over yoghurt. It has an aroma of molasses, caramel and orange, while the flavour is rich in orange peel, red berries and herbaceous florals.
Score: 71/ 100
A dark runny honey that’s on the thicker side, it has woody, earthy aromas that reminded our testers of autumn. Its flavour is also very herbaceous, paired with citrus notes and caramel apples. These elements come together nicely for a honey that isn’t too sweet with a long-lasting flavour.
Best manuka honey
Score: 84/100
Thick and creamy with an almost gel-like texture and fine granules, testers loved the burnt-sugar flavour of this honey, which tasted almost like caramel.
The sweetness is balanced by woody and herbal notes, resulting in great depth of flavour. A fantastic all-rounder, use it for soothing a sore throat, upping your beauty routine or adding to your favourite dish.
Score: 76/100
Deep yellow and opaque, this manuka honey is thick in texture with a slightly crystallised graininess. Testers enjoyed the balance between sweet and acidic, with aromas of molasses and maple syrup followed by savoury flavours of pine and citrus.
Score: 73/100
Smooth and a deep orange colour, light aromas of resin, dried fruit and citrus are followed by sweet, fruity flavours from fig, prune and a touch of caramel. Testers found the sweetness was nicely balanced by woody notes and a slightly sour tang.
Eleanor was the GHI’s former senior food and drink writer.
Joanna Anastasiou is our Food and Drinks Tester, and has completed certifications in Sensory Foundation and WSET Wine Level 2 training. Prior to this she studied geography with conservation biology at the University of Exeter and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Through this she has developed a passion for sustainability within the food and agricultural sectors. Joanna also volunteers in kitchens with FoodCycle, as well as on multiple wildlife conservation projects, where she formed a particular love for bees!
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