Eucalyptus Honey: Flavor, Origins and How It Compares

Where eucalyptus honey comes from

Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia, where hundreds of species grow and many are important honey plants. Beekeepers there move hives to follow the flowering of different species through the year. Eucalyptus was planted widely in the 19th and 20th centuries in California, the Mediterranean, South America and Africa for timber and windbreaks, and beekeepers in those regions also make eucalyptus honey.

In California, eucalyptus provides useful nectar in winter and early spring, when few other plants are blooming.

What eucalyptus honey tastes like

The flavor depends on the species, but most eucalyptus honeys are medium to dark amber, with a robust, herbal, woody character, often with caramel or toffee notes and a lingering, slightly cooling finish that people describe as menthol-like. It does not taste like the essential oil from the leaves; the nectar's aroma is much softer.

Some Australian eucalyptus honeys, such as those from yellow box or stringybark trees, have their own names and followings, much like single-flower honeys in the US.

How to use eucalyptus honey

Its bold flavor works best where it has something to stand up to. Try it in strong black tea, on rye or whole-grain toast, with aged cheeses, in marinades for lamb or pork, and in gingerbread or spice cakes. It can overwhelm delicate desserts and light drinks.

Eucalyptus honey vs other bold honeys

Among dark, robust honeys, eucalyptus is more herbal and woody, buckwheat is more malty and molasses-like, and chestnut is more bitter and tannic. Knotweed sits closer to eucalyptus, with herbal, resin-like depth. See dark vs light honey for how color relates to flavor.

Al Safa honeys for eucalyptus fans

We do not sell eucalyptus honey. If you like its herbal, woody depth, try our Pure Raw Knotweed Honey, a full-bodied late-season honey from North Dakota with a dark, herbal-resin character, or our Buckwheat honey, harvested in New York State, for a maltier bold honey.

Buying eucalyptus honey

Because the name covers many species and countries, two jars labeled eucalyptus honey can taste very different. Australian honeys are often labeled by the specific tree, such as yellow box, red gum or ironbark, and those labels tell you more than the general name. Mediterranean eucalyptus honeys from Spain or Portugal tend to be darker and more herbal. Look for a named region and producer.

Some products sold as eucalyptus honey are regular honey flavored with eucalyptus oil or extract. Read the ingredient list: a true varietal honey lists only honey. Flavored products are a different thing and should say so.

Eucalyptus honey crystallizes at a moderate pace. If it sets, warm the jar gently in water below about 95 degrees Fahrenheit; see how to decrystallize honey.