How to taste honey
A simple framework for noticing aroma, sweetness, texture and finish.
Tasting honey is a lot like tasting tea, only stickier. You need a clean teaspoon for each jar, a glass of water and a few quiet minutes. If you have the Meadow Tasting Set, start with the palest jar and work towards the darkest.
Look.
Hold a spoonful up to the light. Spring Blossom is pale and clear, Wildflower a warm gold, Heather a deep amber that barely moves on the spoon.
Smell.
Warm the spoon in your hand for a moment, then breathe in. You might find fresh blossom, hay, caramel, or something closer to malt and woodland.
Taste.
Let the honey melt on your tongue rather than swallowing it straight away. Notice the sweetness first, then whatever follows: a hint of citrus, a floral lift, a slight bitterness at the end.
Finish.
The finish is what stays once the honey has gone. Light honeys fade quickly and cleanly. Heather lingers for a long time. Take a sip of water between jars, and you will be surprised how different three honeys can be.