Why Exactly Is Elvish Honey So Expensive?

When buying honey, you may notice some price tags are higher than others. With over 30 different kinds of honey, you can find a range of products for your needs. Whether you are looking for an ingredient that can be used for baking or are searching for a sweetener with health benefits, there's one kind of honey that will put a significant dent in your wallet. The brand Elvish sells honey only at Harrods, and a singular bottle is priced at $1,750.00. Just a handful of these purchases are available for purchase each year because this honey is notoriously difficult to collect. Scarcity drives value, and such is the case with honey farmed in high altitude regions. 

Elvish is the attempt to translate the Turkish word peri which can also mean fairy. This particular kind of honey can only be derived by specific bees that are known for being so feisty that beekeepers have to sneak around at night to collect the honey. The more treacherous the journey, the more a product can fetch on the market, and Elvish honey is a perfect example of this. Taken from an area now known as Laz, this climate requires some fortitude from visitors and residents alike. 

Elvish honey is harvested from the northeast Black Sea region and is thought to be a health booster with compounds that can fight against disease and aging. Carrying antioxidants and minerals like potassium and calcium, the honey is not only known as a health-supporting ingredient, but the flavor of this honey has also helped it land on lists of one of the best in the world.

Similar to the hallucinogenic Mad Honey from the Himalayas, Elvish honey is collected from high cave walls that tower almost 6,000 feet above sea level and calls for bravery to collect it. Caucasian Mountain Grey Bees live here. These bees have evolved to handle the climate, with longer tongues to taste nectar that other bees cannot and the ability to fly in cooler temperatures. Not only is Elvish honey difficult to gather and rare to come by, the flavors are described as unique. The color looks like mature wine, and the texture is like thick velvet. Those lucky enough to sample Elvish honey may detect notes of cocoa, smoke, vanilla, and molasses. The taste has been described as a bright sweetness that doesn't lead with a cloying sugar sensation but something more pure, refreshing, and floral.