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Some amazing facts about honey and CLIFF HONEY

The When, What and How behind everything we savor is always pretty fascinating. While a lot of speculation is involved when it comes to the history of the famous cliff honey aka Himalayan mad honey, there are numerous sources that provide insight into the history of this ambrosia, so we thought why not share some of that sweet knowledge with you.


Honey: A Tale as Old as Time

Honey has been prized by different cultures for millennia. It was even referred to as the food of the gods as it never perished. It is said that as a child Zeus, the father of all gods and humanity was fed on honey in the cave of Dicte. Pan the Greek was known as the God of beekeeping while Delphi, the prestigious site of ancient Greece is believed to have been constructed by bees.


The Romans even came up with the line:'' May honey drip on you!'' to express their good wishes to another. Honey is still largely used as a sacred element during rites and rituals across the world. Once used as a funerary gift for the dead in Egyptian culture, honey has for long been considered as a sacred element in rites and rituals.

In African Pedi culture, a swarm of bees is seen as a symbol of luck and therefore, bees are never chased away or killed instead they live in harmony with the people. As for the Buddhists in Nepal, they identified three types of sacred nectar: honey, milk and water. The word 'madhu' (honey) is mentioned more than thousand times in the four Vedas.

While mad honey is known as deli bal in Turkish (paagal meh in Nepal ) due to its crazy properties that make you feel lightheaded and euphoric, too much of this sweet nectar is simply not advised. If you would like to know more about the right dosage. Click here.

The reason why Mad honey is not overtly popular is due to its rarity, it can only be bought from Nepal or Turkey. According to this source, mad honey was first mentioned in the Greek chronicle Anabasis by the historian Xenophone of Athens.


Seconds Food History also mentions some other stories regarding Mad Honey. For instance, the Greek army is believed to have discovered and feasted on mad honey along the shores of the Black Sea in 401 BCE. They experienced the effects of mad honey and were fit to go home the next day.


Another famous account of the origins of the mad honey is when the Mithridates VI, the Kind of Pontus, a kingdom by the Black Sea in 97 BCE, used local mad honey in the path of the Roman army. Once the army came upon it, they fell prey to the crazy effects of the mad honey. Since they were having a psychoactive moment, Mithridates took advantage of the situation and slaughtered them. Not cool, right?

In the 16th century, mad honey was imported and used to give the booze an extra kick, the French called it ‘miel fou’ which literally translates to mad honey.

The Gurung and their relationship with Mad Honey


The Gurung live communally and their feasts typically involve the sacred nectar, whether these ceremonies are linked to birth, death or marriage, mad honey is considered to be highly valued amongst these once wandering tribe. This small community appreciates the uniqueness of the red honey for which a sacrifice is required when the harvest takes place. They live in harmony with nature, their main source of income is sheep farming and Himalayan cliff honey hunting.


Sadly many outsiders do not respect the tradition of the Gurung and therefore seek to acquire mad honey only for profit. By disrupting the natural habitat of the giant cliff bees, they are putting the future of this 'wild' honey at stake. Many buyers do not understand why the habitat matters so much.

It is exactly this natural habitat that differentiates the Nepalese Mad Honey from the Turkish one, this unique grayanotoxin carrier is found only along the valley of the Himalayas.


The properties and quality of our Mad Honey differ from others due to the fact that our harvest only takes place once in Spring. The flora and location of the native land of the Mad Honey needs to be monitored to ensure that this precious nectar does not go extinct. As a small team, we believe that empowering the local tribesmen -the Gurung community means paying them a fair price for the honey collection and working hand in hand with the locals to ensure that the tradition lives on. Due to their remote dwellings, the Tamang and Gurung tribes mainly earn cash through honey hunting.


Why Should Mad Honey be protected?


Unfortunately, to the easy availability of all products, nothing is deemed sacred anymore. This is precisely why we take the preservation of the natural home of mad honey bees earnestly.

Sustainability is one of our core values, this is why we make sure to keep the beehives safe from excessive harvesting. Offseason honey hunting will cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem this is why we wait for the best seasons to harvest mad honey and allow the hives to replenish throughout the year.

By minimizing disruption, we ensure that the home of the Apis Laboriosa Dorsata remains safe and we provide guarded protection to the bees' sanctuary.

More about honey bees here.


A Sticky Business

Mad honey hunting is risky process and with the prevailing state of the eco-system, there is a chance that mad honey might cease to exist if people pursue illegal hunting or if they keep purchasing Mad Honey on the black market. Due to the intense labor involved, it is unfair to purchase a pound of honey at 50 or 80 dollars, this is why we have signed an agreement with the Nepalese Government to ensure the protection of this almost extinct form of craft.

''There's a delicate ecosystem that makes this unique honey possible, and without a balanced and careful harvest, the honey supply may not last long.'' Tree hugger



Why Us?

Unfortunately, to the easy availability of all products, nothing is deemed sacred anymore. This is precisely why we take the preservation of the natural home of mad honey bees earnestly.

Sustainability is one of our core values, this is why we make sure to keep the bee hives safe from excessive harvesting. We wait for the best seasons to harvest mad honey and allow the hives to replenish throughout the year. By minimizing disruption, we ensure that the home of the Apis Laboriosa Dorsata remains safe and we provided guarded protection to the bees' sanctuary.

More about honey bees here.






Rhododendron flower- The flower that gives Mad honey its 'crazy' attributes.

To behold the Himalayan Apis Laboriosa foraging on the Rhododendron flowers and convert the collected nectar into Mad Honey is a one-of-a-kind experience. These highland bees possess genes that are perfectly compatible with the ‘invasive’ flowers which carry grayanotoxin.


The honey produced with grayanotoxin components is a precious nectar that is usually hard to find. And unless you are getting it from here, there is no guarantee that commercial mad honey is not over-processed or simply altered with cheaper kinds of honey.


According to the golden rule of sweetness, the value of honey can be deciphered by the following:

  • The overall quality ( raw, pure, or altered).

  • The region and climate in which the bees operate.

  • And the flora and fauna.

Lali Guransh, an Atypical National Flower

The story behind the production of mad honey is fascinating and unusual. Mad honey is not only about the bees, the honey hunters, but also much about the magic of the cosmos. The Rhododendron flower aka Lali Guransh, the national flower of Nepal largely contributes to the 'mad' properties of mad honey.

Rhododendrons are known for being noxious to humans, however, honey produced from the latter has psychoactive attributes and is largely used for its medicinal and recreational properties in Nepal.



Rhododendron stems are even used in dishes as the plant is believed to possess curative properties. The honey produced from the lali guransh is said to be effective in treating anxiety, insomnia, diabetes, and much more.

Grayanotoxins are toxins produced by rhododendrons and plants of the Ericaceae family. Ericaceaes consist of flowering plants that flourish in infertile growing conditions. This type of plant can be recognized by its leaves which are generally arranged along the stems; flowers usually grow in solitary or clusters with 5 petals, 5 sepals, and 10 stamens.


The Mad Honey Bees that Consume Grayanotoxin

Some types of rhododendron can contain up to 25 different types of grayanotoxin. The giant bees have become accustomed to the existing potent neurotoxin of the Lali Guransh and to them, it is merely a food source; the nectar is carried to the hive where potent mad honey is produced in oblivion.





Contrary to most bees who cannot ingest the rhododendron nectar, the Apis laboriosa has adapted to the highlands and has developed some sort of immunity to grayanotoxin. Hence, the bees are not intoxicated and neither are the humans who consume the Nepalese Mad Honey.


Rhododendron Luteum and Rhododendron Ponticum


The Rhododendrons are grown almost everywhere across the globe, however, it is essential that the giant Nepalese bees forage on the Rhododendron Luteum and Rhododendron Ponticum to produce what is known as mad honey.


The factor that primarily differentiates Nepalese mad honey from the Turkish lies in its conception - the rhododendron flowers flourish independently and are not cultivated in the Nepalese region as they are part of the scenery like the giant honey bees.


Seasons Influence the Potency of Mad Honey


The giant honey bees produce three types of honey; depending on the season, the level of grayanotoxin varies. The most potent form of honey is produced from the flowers at higher altitudes and is one of the rarest and most luxurious types of honey in the world. You can try it out here.


The honey that is harvested in autumn is cheaper since it is created from the Rhododendron present at all sites. This honey is more common and is sold at an average price. It is mainly harvested during late spring and autumn. It is renowned for its regenerative properties.

The most potent form of honey is produced from the Rhododendron flowers in Spring, at higher altitudes and is one of the rarest and most luxurious types of honey in the world.


The Mad Honey Limited Reserve


According to our customer reviews, The Mad Honey Limited Reserve, harvested in spring 2021, possesses a higher concentration of grayanotoxin leading to an elevated experience of the mad honey tasting.

Mad honey that is harvested in Autumn is cheaper since it is produced from the Rhododendron flowers present at all sites.

When it comes to the honey itself, the difference in taste can be as subtle as in the wine-tasting world. For instance, Manuka honey has a fuller consistency and an earthy, mineral-y taste whereas pure Himalayan mad honey has a slightly bitter aftertaste and has a more watery consistency which is why it spreads easily on the skin.

Depending on the harvest season, the potency of Mad Honey varies. See our FAQs to learn more.


If you’re fascinated by the lush scenery created by Rhododendron flowers, we recommend reading the following:



Note: We recommend experimenting with our two products, the Himalayan Mad Honey and the Limited Reserve 2021 Mad honey to assess both and appreciate your favorite.













Smart as can Bee: Discover how honey bee hives function and why our Mad Honey is unique.

Nothing is more delicious than the knowledge of what we consume (though, our Mad honey is clearly yummier!) Honey has been consumed for its medicinal properties for centuries, yet most of us know little about hives and the incredible social structures of hives. From the queen to the workers, we are here to enlighten you on the topic.

Mad honey is produced by the rare giant honey bee Apis Laboriosa; the Himalayan honey bee is known as the world's largest honey bee and measures up to three centimeters in length. Although the Apis Laboriosa was identified as one of the subspecies of the Apis Dorsata, in 2020 the giant bee was affirmed as a full species of its own. Since no interbreeding was detected, the Apis Laboriosa was declared unique. Yet, the organization of Apis Laboriosa honey bees is similar to the other types.

So, if you’re curious about how honeybees function and how hives are organized, read on.

This blog article is based on previous works by the Mid-ATLANTIC and other sources cited throughout the article.


What does not benefit the hive

is no benefit to the bee.

Marcus Aurelius


The Consolidated Efforts of a Micro-society

Honey bees are frequently studied due to the fact they are perceived as regarded as highly social in the animal realm. They live in structured and large family groups, comparable to humans who live in communities. These evolved insects indulge in a nexus that is not seen among most solitary insects.


Honey bees have a complex nest construction particularly among Apis Laboriosa who build their nests at an altitude of more than 3000 meters vertically. Honey bees have not only mastered communication and defense but have also developed a chain of labor that is rarely seen among solitary insects. Honey bees obtain all of their nutritional requirements from a diverse combination of pollen and nectar.

Their colonies are made up of 3 types of adult bees:

  • Workers

  • Drones

  • Queen

Although the queen is referred to as the superior bee, her role is rather limited to reproduction as she is the single sexually developed female qualified for laying eggs.

Thousands of honeybee workers commit their short lives to nest building, rearing, and food collection- tasks that are assigned to me them with respect to their maturity.

It is fascinating that the micro-society of honeybees is identical to the human one where the individual efforts of every hive member contribute to the success of the entire colony.


Matriarchal Organization

Since honey bees have a unique queen, it is unsurprising that they follow a matriarchal structure to allocate tasks and roles in the colony.

However, during the swarming preparations and supersedure, the colony may have more than one queen.

The queens are most reproductive in early summer and can lay up to 1,500 eggs on a daily basis. They stop laying eggs around early October and start all over again in January. A single queen can produce up to 250,000 eggs per year and more than 1,000 000 within her lifetime. (2 to 5 years while the workers and drones typically have a lifespan of 30-60days)



The Making of a Queen

Queen bees differ from the rest of the colony; they have longer frames than the drones and workers and the abdomen is usually more elongated. While the wings of the workers and drones can virtually touch the tip of the abdomen when folded, the queen’s wings cover only part of the gut.

The queen does not possess functional wax glands or pollen baskets. Her stinger is longer than that of the workers, with fewer barbs of a smaller size.


The Production of Pheromones or Identity

As we earlier mentioned, one of the primary functions of the queen is egg-laying, however, she is also responsible for providing a social identity to her hive. The production of pheromones acts as a social bind per se and provides an identity to the bee community.


According to research conducted by the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research Centre, being the chief, the queen’s and colony’s worth are determined by her pheromone production and her reproduction abilities which are based on the genetics of the drones with which she mated.

In order to prevent inbreeding from taking place, the queen travels to other drones in flight; she is hard to miss due to the release of a chemical odor known as a pheromone.

Drones are those bees that grow from the unfertilized eggs of the queen and produce male sperm cells that are genetically similar to the egg.


Once she gets back to the hive and is ready to start laying eggs in around two days, the queen feeds on royal jelly gathered by the worker bees. The greater the amount of the food, the better prepared are the beeswax cells where the eggs are stored. Larvae will start hatching from the eggs within three days.





Overthrowing the Queen

Unfortunately, the queen bee does not enjoy her privileges once her secreted substance is no longer deemed good enough. Both the queen and her daughter remain in the hive for a longer bit after the supersedure.

There are three situations that require a new queen:

  • The unexpected death or disappearance of the queen.

  • In case of inadequate queen substance.

  • The preparation of swarming.

As we mentioned earlier, the queen is in charge of the matriarchal organization of her colony hence, yet she is nothing without the female workers. Though the queen is attended to during the laying period, the colony functions as a single unit with a fairly flat structure.

The queen acts as the materfamilias of the hive since she gave birth to every bee of the hive.

The hive is nothing without each bee whose role is predetermined. As English poet Thomas Hood beautifully enunciated: ‘When was honey made with one bee in a hive?’


Fun Fact:

Greek Philosopher and polymath, Aristotle (c.384 B.C. to 322 B.C.) claimed that the chef of the hive is male and referred to the latter as ‘King Bee’ Sacrilegious, right? Yeah, we know. He identified the drones as females for they have no strings and were characterized by their inferiority.

It is only later on that it was recognized that honeybees have female-led societies, thanks to Charles Butler’s work, The Feminine Monarchy.

More on it here.





Drones - A Seraglio of Males

Male bees are the largest in the colony and are usually around in late spring and summer; they neither equipped stingers, pollen baskets nor wax glands. Therefore, their role is rather limited to the fertilization of the queen during the mating period. Once they are four days old, the drones can start feeding themselves albeit they predominantly depend on the female workers for food.



The drones eat three times more than the workers and their presence can even be overwhelming for the colony if they radically increase in number. Drones start orientation flights once they are eight days old.

While queenless colonies allow drones to live in the hive for a longer period, colonies led by queens will usually get rid of drones due to the scarcity of pollen or nectar.


The founding father of the United States, Thomas Paine referred to the drones as ‘a seraglio of males, who neither collect the honey nor form the hive, but exist only for lazy enjoyment.’


Working Ladies

The workers of the bee colony are sexually underdeveloped females that do not normally lay eggs. They are equipped with scent glands, pollen baskets, and food glands which allows them to do all the work in the hive. The workers cater to the needs of the queen, clean and polish cells, and handle nectar. In addition, they guard the colony’s entrance.





They forage for nectar, pollen, propolis, and water however, the workers live for a short period of six weeks in warmer months and can survive up to six months in the fall. These marvelous tiny creatures ensure that the colony is preserved by rearing the new bees in the spring before their demise.


Support Ethical Honey Harvests

Due to the increasing use of pesticides such as acephate, honey bees are at the risk of extinction. By harvesting ethically and once every year, we ensure that bees have the time to mate in the best environment. Unlike Turkish mad honey, our Mad Honey is produced naturally and in a safe, bee-friendly environment i.e. their natural habitat is not in any way altered; the mad honey bees forage on natural sources of food such as the Rhododendron flowers which grow at higher altitudes.

Mad Honey works with the Nepalese local community and the Government to ensure that honey hunting remains ethical and does not interfere with nature’s course.


The honey bee is a fascinating creature it is the perfect mix of elegance and functionality; their role as pollinators is crucial in maintaining a healthy eco-system.


Read more here:





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