Floral Source & Origin
Tupelo honey is a rare and unique honey variety with a devoted following. Each year, from mid-April to early May, the white tupelo tree produces delicate round blossoms. Greenish-white in color, these blossoms last no more than three weeks. With bad weather, the bloom time is even shorter. But when the temperatures are mild, the air is humid, and rainstorms stay away, then the bees get to work collecting tupelo nectar. And the bees seem to enjoy the nectar just as much as we love the honey it makes.
The white tupelo tree (nyssa ogechee) is native to the south-eastern region of the United States. But two locations in particular - the Apalachicola River system in Florida and the Altamaha River system in Georgia - have the highest concentrations of tupelo trees. We source our tupelo honey from both areas.
Flavor Profile
Tupelo honey has a medium golden color and an amazing flavor profile. It is a bit hard to describe. It starts with a fruity-floral burst on your tongue and then spreads over your palate with a buttery soft finish. It has no bite or aftertaste. Once the flavor disappears, you crave another spoonful. When people taste tupelo honey for the first time, they smile broadly and exclaim something along the lines of "Wow! I never knew that honey could taste so good." Many years ago, a customer remarked that tupelo honey was the "food of the gods." We would have to agree.
Slow to Sugar (If Ever)
Many types of raw honey will crystallize over time (also called 'sugaring'). But some honey varieties such as tupelo will resist sugaring. It all depends on the ratio of the two primary sugars in honey - fructose and glucose. This is called the F:G ratio. If there is more fructose than glucose, then it will be slow to sugar. Some bottles of tupelo honey will never sugar, even after many years. But it is important to note that 100% pure tupelo honey is impossible to find. There will be other plants in bloom at the same time as the tupelo trees, and we cannot prevent the bees from collecting nectar from these other sources. If some sugar does form at the bottom the bottle or jar, you can blame the bees for mixing other nectars in with the tupelo.
