Honey Gift Set with 3 mini varieties

Honey gift set by La Compagnie du Miel from Madagascar

The honey gift set from La Compagnie du Miel is a black box containing three mini jars of 40 grams each. Side by side inside are the bold Niaouli, the citrusy Mokarana, and the multi-floral Rainforest honey—three Malagasy harvests from three different landscapes.

Honey gift set by La Compagnie du Miel is a tasting selection for those who prefer to sample before committing. The black box holds three 40-gram jars, totaling 120 grams, filled with single-varietal honeys from the Malagasy east coast and its coastal forests.

From mild to distinctive, tasted in a sequence

Three small jars go further than one large one, because the character of a honey only truly reveals itself in comparison.

Mokarana starts things off, sweet and mild, with a tart citrus note at the end. Next is the Rainforest honey with its broad floral spice, underscored by a hint of caramel. Finally, the Niaouli, in which coffee, mango, and lemongrass exist side by side, leaving a faint note of licorice.

Those who follow this order will taste the differences more clearly than three individual breakfasts ever could. Use a fresh piece of bread for every spoonful and drink a sip of water in between to keep your palate receptive.

The Niaouli in the box is an award winner

Of the three varieties, the Niaouli is the most striking, a fact recognized by a French panel of experts.

It was awarded silver at the Concours Épicures, a competition within the French delicatessen industry. Tasting it in this small quantity will tell you whether you want to bring the large jar into your home.

The other two are not far behind; they just work more subtly. The Mokarana comes from a tree that grows nowhere else in the world, and the Rainforest honey captures everything in bloom during the weeks between specific varietal harvests.

Honey from three landscapes of the island

The harvest regions of La Compagnie du Miel are far apart, and you can taste it in these three portions.

The coastal forests on the east coast provide the Mokarana, the tropical forests around Manakara offer the Rainforest honey, and the Niaouli grows where the Indian Ocean dictates the climate. Each variety has its own month, which is why none of the jars are filled at the same time as the others.

That is precisely the appeal of this small format: it brings a cross-section of a country to your table where something is in bloom almost all year round.

Honey crystallizes at different speeds depending on the blossom, as the ratio of fructose to glucose varies for each variety. If one of the jars becomes firm, this is a natural process. A water bath at no more than forty degrees Celsius will reverse it without any loss of aroma.

The small jars can be gifted individually

The black box has an understated, effortless look, making it a perfect small gift for birthdays or Sunday visits. If you like, you can also give the jars away individually, for example as a small gesture alongside a card. All three remain spoonable at room temperature; stored in a cool, dark place, they will retain their aroma. Once your supply is gone, the full-sized jars can be found in the La Compagnie du Miel assortment, including the coastal blossom honey for every day.