Honey in the Greek language is used for “bee” and therefore quite obvious that honey is related to bees. Bees collect nectar from different flowers and store them in beehives for using it as their food. This is not a simple process and nectar from the flower in its original form is way far from the honey we use.
The bees store the honey in their stomach. They fly from one flower to the other, in search of nectar. They, then transfer this sweet liquid into the mouth of other bees until it reaches the honeycomb. This repeated regurgitation process causes the nectar to mix with enzymes and change its nature chemically; the nectar gets somewhat digested while in the honeybee’s stomach.
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Once this partially digested viscous liquid reaches the honeycomb, the fanning process starts where the excess water is made to evaporate. Once it reaches the perfect consistency, the bees seal the hive with a secretion which hardens to be used as beeswax. The extraction and use of honey can be dated back to the Sumerian and the Babylonian civilization.
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It is long famous for its exceptional medicinal properties and numerous health benefits (nourishment). It has been practically used in hospitals for treating different ailments (respiratory, gastrointestinal, healing wounds, and renal). Honey also holds great value in religious rituals and practices.
The quality and price of the honey are determined by the availability of the honey, ease of extraction, environment, flora and fauna of the area and its chemical composition. Here are the some of the most expensive honey that can be bought all around the world:
1. Elvish Honey:
Elvish honey also referred to as the “true nectar of the gods” is the most expensive honey is the world and costs a whopping 5000 euros (equivalent to $6,800) for a kilo of this “liquid gold”. It is one of its kind and is therefore rare and of exceptionally amazing quality. It is thick and is golden in color.
Elvish honey is extracted from 1800 meters deep cave bee hives.
The cave is situated in Northeastern Turkey in the Saricayir Valley. This honey was found in 2009 by a local who noticed bees entering a cave. He then took help from professional mountaineers to go down the cave and extract honey. He was able to collected 18kgs of this honey. The honey was then sent to a French laboratory for analysis, where it was found that the honey is 7 years old, is mineral rich and has incomparable quality.
The first kg of this honey was sold in the French stock for 45,000 euros. The following year another Chinese pharmacist purchased it for 28,000 euros per kg. Now, Gunduz Gunay, the owner and founder of this honey has agreed to a bargain price and sells for 5000 euros.
The high price of this honey is owing to the purity and quality of the honey; honey extracted from such a depth where the air and water are extremely pure, is free from pollutants. This honey is not easy to extract and requires professional mountaineers to go down every time.
Moreover, the surrounding area of the cave is rich with herbs and medicinal plants; some of the herbs are rare and endangered as well. All of these factors have made the honey so pricey. You can get this honey in 170 grams and 250 grams bottle.
2. Royal Yemeni Sidr honey:
Sidr honey is widely known for its amazing quality and properties, but Yemeni Sidr honey holds extra value and importance. It is comparable to the rare Manuka honey of New Zealand and was once the most expensive honey but with years, have dropped down to the third most expensive honey. It can be purchased for $1550 per kg.
This fine and pure honey is found in the caves of isolated mountains of the Wadi Amd. The bees forage to the blessed Sidr and Elb trees found in the Hadramaut Mountains of Saudi Arabia and Yemen for nectar. It is believed that not every bee can endure this long journey and handle the potency of this nectar.
This incredible honey has been used for more than 7000 years. It has a very sweet and rich taste. The honey is also popular for its outstanding medicinal properties and high nourishment it provides to the body. The honey is well-known and long used for treating stomach ulcers, digestive issues, surgical and infected wounds, liver ailments and respiratory problems.
In earlier times and to date, possessing Yemeni honey, in Arab culture, is considered a status symbol. This amazing amber-coloured honey is very difficult to harvest and can only be collected twice a year, making the supply quite less than the demand. Difficulty to harvest, low supply and exceptional medicinal properties have made this honey come with a huge price tag.
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3. Manuka honey:
Manuka honey is a native to New Zealand and is obtained from bees inhabited in the Northern part of the country. This honey is valued because it is rare, has some amazing health benefits and has the highest MGO/UMF rating (grading used for gauging quality if honey) as compared to any other honey. You can get a 230 grams jar of this honey for $1, 780, which is very expensive and beyond the reach of many.
Manuka honey is particularly known for its unique texture and consistency. It is very viscous and has a buttery consistency and at the same time is very sweet and earthy. The honey has antiseptic, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and is found to fight even those bacteria that were resistant to many different chemicals. Manuka honey is an effective and tested cure for ulcers and burns.
Manuka honey is extracted from the Manuka bush. Manuka bush is extremely rare and is largely found in New Zealand. Manuka bushes can also be found in Australia, but the main production of Manuka honey is from New Zealand. Harvesting Manuka honey is a difficult task and may even require the use of helicopters.
The flowers on the Manuka bush only bloom for 12 days, so only an area rich with Manuka bushes can produce enough honey. The hives of these bees are located in remote areas ranging from green hills of the northland to the volcanic plateaus.
This bush is also extremely sensitive to weather conditions and therefore requires great care and planning for harvesting the honey. The hefty price tag of this honey is because of its unique properties and difficult extraction.
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4. Miel Lo Mejor del Bierz:
This is the most expensive honey in all of Europe and has a bit lower rank in the world’s most expensive honey. It is native to Spain and can be purchased for $150 for a kilogram. Camponaraya village situated in El Bierzo district of Leon province is the production house of this amazing and rare honey.
This honey is again very rare, and the supply is way less than the increasing demand. As more and more people are becoming aware of using good quality honey, the demand of this honey is increasing; the rarity of this honey is what makes it unique. The honey is certified halal and is packed with high nutritional factor making it extremely healthy.
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