Manuka

anuka is found throughout New Zealand and often forms extensive areas of bush. The leaves are dotted with oil glands, and when bruised give off a gingery peppery smell. The flowers vary from brilliant white through to rose-pink.

The Maori people used Manuka as a medicinal plant, from treating fevers and colds to sedatives and early European settlers called it the "tea tree". The plant and honey are presently being studied for their antibacterial properties. Apart from the medicinal properties contained by all honeys, Manuka honey contains a number of natural compounds with strong antibacterial properties. This is a strong flavoured honey but with a fresh clean bite. For more detailed information:

Rata

outhern Rata is one of several species of Rata found in New Zealand but is the one that most regularly produces a honey crop, although even this honey is sometimes in very short supply. Anyone who has seen the Rata flowering in January in the Otira Gorge west of Christchurch cannot forget the sight of this brilliant red carpet covering the mountains. This area produces the purest Rata honey, very white in colour with a subtle, distinctive flavour, mild and rich - but not sweet, almost salty, considered by many to be the best of New Zealand Honeys. For more detailed information:

Vipers Bugloss

lso commonly known as "Borage", this wild flower covers the hills of the Central South Island in a sea of brilliant blue colour during summer months. The seed, resembling a Viper's head, was once mistakenly used as a treatment for snakebite giving the plant its unusual name. Vipers Bugloss honey has a delicate flavour with a "chewy" texture. Hint: keep this in the refrigerator and you have a natural chewy snack for kids of all ages.For more detailed information:

Nodding Thistle

ound extensively throughout New Zealand's Canterbury and Otago Provinces in the South Island, and Hawkes Bay in the North Island, Nodding Thistle flowers in late summer with a brilliant large mauve head characteristic of thistles to produce a magnificent light coloured honey with a perfumed floral bouquet and subtle flavour - perfect for those who like a mild honey. A winner of the US Fancy Food Show "Best new Spread". For more detailed information:

Kamahi

amahi is a common tree found in many of New Zealand's rugged native forests, and is an excellent source of honey. The creamy coloured flowers are very attractive to bees and bloom in abundance throughout the Spring producing a light amber honey with a distinctive, full-bodied complexity of flavour preferred by many honey connoisseurs. For more detailed information:

Honeydew

oneydew nectar is produced from a small scale insect (Ultracoelostoma assimilie) living in the bark of two of New Zealand's beech forests, mostly black beech (black from the sooty mould growing on the surplus nectar covering the trunks and branches) and to a lesser extent, red beech. In the early morning sunlight, the droplets of nectar glisten like the the morning dew, giving the name honeydew. Honeybees gather this nectar to produce honeydew, a process they carry out in many other countries in the World, most notably in Germany's "Black Forest".

A full flavour and aroma, heady, almost pungent, malty. A thick red amber honey and one of our strongest flavoured. Great in marinades to give a richness to barbeques or roasts. Full of mineral goodness, a typical trait of honeydews. For more detailed information:

Tawari

he 'beaujolais' of honeys, Tawari is best savoured when young. It's origins are the lowland forests of New Zealand's far north where the elegant tree's waxy white flowers prized by ancient Maori gift the bees a light yellow nectar with a lingering butterscotch flavour. So subtle and mild, it's perfect for topping pancakes, waffles or icecream.For more detailed information:

Rewarewa

ich and malty, this honey is full bodied yet not overly strong and has a beautiful burnished amber hue. And because the distinctive clustered red flowers of this New Zealand Honey suckle may not bloom well each year, Rewarewa is a premium variety. A hint of rustic woolsheds pervades the complex aroma. Rewarewa is a great natural sweetener for hot drinks.For more detailed information:

Thyme

ith a heritage dating back to the ancient tribes who cultivated the arid, unforgiving soils of the Mediterranean, Thyme continues to flourish today across Central Otago's similarly challenging environment. Its burnt grass colouring so aptly reflects the surrounding landscape. An intensely aromatic honey, the pale Thyme flowers imbue it with lingering, herby, savoury flavours enjoyed by the experienced honey connoisseur.For more detailed information: