Lime (linden) honey

Lime honey, also called linden honey, is a monofloral honey from the nectar of lime trees (Tilia), in Europe mainly small-leaved and large-leaved lime. The species cannot be told apart by their honey. Under the rules for monofloral honey, the plant name may be used only when the honey comes wholly or mainly from that plant.

International Honey Commission data (261 samples) describe a light to medium colour with a bright yellow tone, a strong woody and fresh aroma, an astringent taste and moderate crystallisation, unlike acacia honey, which stays liquid. Mean water content is 16.9 g/100 g and electrical conductivity 0.62 mS/cm. Lime honey can contain some honeydew, which changes its colour, and lime pollen is under-represented, 22.9 % on average.

Protected examples: Miel de tilleul de Picardie (France, PGI) is pale straw-yellow with greenish tints and fresh menthol notes; Yenice Ihlamur Balı (Türkiye, PDO) is yellow to amber and slowly, partly crystallises into soft granules. The lime variety of Kraški med is light yellow with a green sheen, minty and quick to form coarse crystals.

Why this matters to you: lime honey is the pick for a fresh, slightly menthol-like aroma. Colour and taste shift with the year and the share of honeydew, and crystallisation of honey is entirely normal here.