Glossary
A trained expert in honey sensory analysis who evaluates honey quality, identifies floral origins, and pairs honeys with foods and beverages. Honey sommeliers use systematic tasting methodology similar to wine sommeliers, evaluating aroma, color, flavor, texture, and aftertaste to assess and describe honeys.
Professional honey evaluation follows a structured protocol. Visual assessment evaluates color (using a Pfund scale or USDA color grader), clarity, and viscosity. Aroma assessment identifies dominant scent families (floral, fruity, woody, chemical, warm). Flavor assessment identifies sweetness intensity, acidity, bitterness, and specific flavor notes. Texture assessment evaluates body, crystallization, and mouthfeel.
Training programs for honey sommeliers have expanded significantly in recent years. The Italian national register of honey experts (Albo Nazionale degli Esperti in Analisi Sensoriale del Miele) is the most established program. In the United States, the American Honey Tasting Society and various university extension programs offer training.
As interest in artisanal and single-origin foods grows, consumers increasingly seek guidance on honey selection, quality assessment, and pairing. Honey sommeliers serve this market at restaurants, specialty food shops, honey competitions, and educational events.
For producers, sensory expertise helps with quality control, varietal identification (confirming that the honey matches its label), and developing marketing language that accurately describes their product's unique character.
Training typically involves coursework in bee biology, nectar source botany, honey chemistry, sensory science methodology, and extensive guided tasting of diverse varietal honeys. Programs range from weekend workshops to multi-month certification courses.
There are over 300 recognized monofloral honey varieties worldwide, produced from specific plant species. When you include polyfloral blends, regional terroir variations, and processing differences, the number of distinct honey types is essentially limitless.
The methodology is similar: systematic evaluation of appearance, aroma, flavor, and finish. However, honey offers even more diversity than wine in some respects: honey ranges from nearly colorless to almost black, from mild to intensely bitter, and from liquid to solid, all as natural variations.
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