Date Updated: 31 July, 2025
Tāwari Honey holds a unique place in the world, originating from the rare Tāwari tree that flourishes in Te Urewera and only a few other regions of New Zealand’s upper North Island. Remarkably, the Tāwari tree is the sole species within its genus, and so nothing like it is found anywhere else on Earth. The rarity of tāwari as such a unique botanical source and the stunning honey that comes from its flower is perfect for discerning honey consumers seeking authentic and naturally exceptional products.
Table of Contents
- The Heart of the Forest: Discovering the Tāwari Tree
- Nature’s Masterpiece: The Tāwari Flower
- Cultural Significance of Tāwari
- The Taste of Tāwari Honey: A Symphony for the Senses
- The Properties of Tāwari Honey
- Tāwari Honey: Your Guide to Exquisite Pairings
- From New Zealand to the World Stage: Tāwari Acclaimed Journey
- Experience the Magic: Your Invitation to Tāwari Honey
The Heart of the Forest: Discovering the Tāwari Tree
The Tāwari tree, known scientifically as Ixerba brexioides, is found predominantly in Te Urewera and other forests in the upper North Island, at elevations up to 900 meters. This thrives deep in the forest and is not seen on its own, or on forest edges, without the shelter and protection of other forest vegetation. Ideal conditions for this tree are shaded and moist, characteristic of montane cloud forests, such as Te Urewera (1).
The Tāwari tree presents a striking appearance, growing as a bushy tree from 4 to 15 metres in height, adorned with a spreading crown. It features distinctive leathery, shiny, lance-shaped leaves with a coarse serrated edge, providing a lush dark green backdrop to its vibrant blooms.
This tree grows to 250 years old and is noted for its slow grow rate. It may also require association with certain mycorrhiza for growth (2), so it is difficult to grow in a garden or as a specimen tree. Yet the tāwari tree is an exceptional botanical specimen. Botanists themselves have described the Tāwari as one of New Zealand’s most remarkable native plants, celebrated for the striking beauty of both its foliage and its flowers(3).
Nature’s Masterpiece: The Tāwari Flower
The Tāwari tree’s starry white flowers are truly striking, boasting five distinct petals, each accompanied by a prominent stamen. These beautiful flowers are borne in elegant panicles during the summer season, typically in October to December, depending on region and altitude. In the heart of Te Urewera, the season for Tāwari flowering is usually from late November to early January.
A botanical curiosity, the flower’s structure exhibits perfect symmetry, laid out in ‘5s’ – five petals, five anthers, five nectaries, and even the pollen grains display a five-sided shape(4).
For pollination, the Tāwari flower provides a stage for a complex dance of multiple species. Bats and moths are enticed with its white blooms at night (5). During the day, the flower attracts birds that effectively deposit pollen from the widely spread anthers to the ovaries below, and honey bees.
Tāwari has a mass flowering strategy, attracting a range of visitors with the abundant nectar it produces (6). This strategy works well for all its pollinators, but for honey bees in particular, which is not a native to New Zealand, it’s a bonanza. During the day, honey bees collect the copious nectar produced in the nectaries at the base of the Tāwari flower – such divine pools for a small insect!
The sheer volume of nectar from the Tāwari tree when in flower is often so much that it spills over from the blooms and drips onto the surrounding leaves. It also provides a plentiful resource that enables honey bees to produce a monofloral honey, meaning the honey is chiefly derived from the nectar of Tāwari flowers.
Cultural significance of Tāwari
Traditionally, the beautiful Tāwari flowers were highly prized by our ancestors, for unique cultural application. It was only the flowers of the Tāwari tree that were used by Māori for necklaces and adornment during festive occasions (7) – no other flowers of the New Zealand forest were used by Māori for this purpose.
Tāwari bark was also used as a black dye for flax (8)
The Taste of Tāwari Honey: A Symphony for the Senses
The stunning nature of Tāwari Honey has been long known in Te Urewera. Elsdon Best, and ethnologist famed for his work amongst the Tūhoe people, reported in his writings of 1907 on Māori forest lore in Te Urewera that “whākou (the name for tāwari when in flower), along with pōānanga (Clematis) and rātā blossom said to produce the best honey” (9).
Tāwari Honey is celebrated for its remarkably light color, a pale amber backgrounded by an orange gold hue, especially when fresh from the hive. Its colour sets it apart from other New Zealand honeys like Mānuka, Rewarewa or Kānuka, that are usually an amber to dark or red-amber colour. Tāwari honey also stands out amongst native honeys for its luxurious, silky smooth texture that glides effortlessly on the palate.
When you open a jar of raw Tāwari Honey, fleetingly , you can pick up an aroma that has been described in sensory profiling as “rich perfumed musk, incense, sandalwood, orange peel and liquorice”. Wow!
Then you come to the taste. If you’re new to Tāwari Honey, prepare for a delightful surprise, as this honey has a truly distinctive flavour profile. It offers a delicate, buttery sweetness that is never overpowering, complemented by subtle floral notes, sometimes with a touch of vanilla. Then, what sets it apart are the distinct hints of butterscotch, sometimes with a surprising twist of liquorice, which lingers just enough to give it a captivating “punch of interest”.
Unlike some honeys, Tāwari is not overly sweet on the palate, providing a balanced and refined taste experience that allows its nuanced complexities to come to the fore. A taste experience of the deep forests of Te Urewera that goes beyond generic sweetness to a unique sensory promise, positioning Tāwari Honey as a gourmet experience rather than just a natural sweetener.
The Properties of Tawari Honey
Beyond its exquisite taste, Tāwari Honey has health-boosting properties. You can see from the graphs below (drawn from research by Peter Molan) that Tāwari Honey does not dominate the properties stakes. Other honey such as Rewarewa, Mānuka and Kānuka are superior in this respect, however Tāwari is still a good natural source of antioxidants and gentle antibacterial properties, which contribute to immune health and overall well-being.
Tāwari Honey: Your Guide to Exquisite Pairings
For a pure taste of Te Urewera forest, simply enjoy Tāwari Honey straight from the jar as a natural treat.
Then take it as an elegant choice for pairing with fine foods, showcasing its remarkable versatility across many culinary applications. The table below provides a range of suggestions for both sweet and savoury uses.
| Category | Pairing Suggestions | |
| Cheeses | Soft cheeses (Camembert, Brie); full-bodied cheeses (cheddar, gouda) especially when accompanied by tart fruit cheeses (omega plum or quince membrillo). | |
| Fruits | Raw fruits (citrus, melon or light-coloured fruits), poached or roasted fruits (pears), roasted or fresh nuts (walnuts, cashews, pistachios). | |
| Breakfasts | Spread Tāwari Honey generously on toast, crumpets, or pancakes. It’s also delicious swirled into yogurt or oatmeal. | |
| Desserts | Drizzled over ice-cream, pancakes; topping cheesecake; used as a natural sweetener in other culinary desserts.
Better still make your own Tāwari Honey Ice Cream. |
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| Preserving | Use Tāwari Honey as a natural sweetener for preserved fruits, making chutneys and relishes, and other preserves, such as Tāwari Honey Lemon Curd. Tāwari Honey works well in preserves where other honeys can be overpowering. | |
| Baking & Cooking | Use as a natural replacement for refined sugar in baked goods, marinades and dressings. | |
| Savoury Dishes | Use as a natural sweetener and flavour enhancer in curries, tomato dishes, Asian dishes, soups and casseroles. A touch of Tāwari Honey can bring out savoury flavours without creating sweetness. | |
| Beverages | Natural sweetener in teas, coffee, chocolate or milk drinks and smoothies. Tāwari Honey enhances but doesn’t interfere with the main taste.
Perfect for sweetening fruit juices and cordials (quince and lemon). Then use these exquisite mixes for the punch bowl, cocktails or to brighten up your G&T. |
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For inspiration in your culinary pursuits, check out this selection of Tāwari Honey recipes by Manawa Honey NZ. The versatility of Tāwari Honey across both sweet and savoury applications elevates its utility to a sophisticated ingredient for gourmet cooking, entertaining and daily indulgence, rather than just a breakfast spread.
From New Zealand to the World Stage: Tāwari's Acclaimed Journey
The Black Jar International Honey Tasting Contest stands as a beacon of excellence in the global honey industry. This annual, highly competitive event, held in Asheville, North Carolina, USA, is organized by the Center for Honeybee Research. (9)
What makes this contest exceptional is its unwavering focus solely on the taste of honey. Judges conduct a “blind” tasting process, using black silk jar covers to eliminate any bias from colour or appearance, ensuring that only the purest flavour reigns supreme. This rigorous, unbiased methodology lends immense credibility to any win, which can only be based on the inherent taste and texture of the honey, not on brand recognition or appearance.
The contest attracts hundreds of entries from beekeepers across the globe, with over 50% of entries coming from outside North America in recent years, signifying its global reach and importance as a benchmark for honey excellence.
Tāwari Honey was submitted for the first time into this contest by Manawa Honey NZ in 2021. In that year, Tāwari was successful in reaching the final – the Top 30 – of the contest. (10) And in 2025, the exquisite taste of Tāwari has now been recognised with it winning the World Creamed Category and placing Tāwari in the Top 10 honeys. (11)
Tāwari’s excellence is further underscored by its other international and national awards, including gaining Gold at the London Honey Awards and the NZ Outstanding Food Producers Awards. These achievements are all a testament to Tāwari Honey’s unparalleled taste and texture.
Experience the Magic: Your Invitation to Tāwari Honey
Are you ready to unlock the golden secret of Te Urewera? Don’t just imagine the taste – experience it! Manawa Honey invites you to bring the award-winning Tāwari Honey into your home and onto your table, transforming your culinary creations and daily rituals.
To experience the magic of Tāwari Honey for yourself, visit the official Manawa Honey Online Store. The honey is available in various convenient sizes, including Creamed Tāwari Honey in 500g, 250g, and 110g jars, as well as Raw Tāwari Honey in 3 kg or 6 kg pails. For those who wish to ensure a continuous supply of this delightful honey, subscription options are available, offering potential savings and ongoing enjoyment.
Click the button below to explore our Tāwari Honey and bring a jar of award-winning sweetness to your home!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy honey? Let us know in the comments below!
| Brenda Tahi has a comprehensive background spanning public service, strategic management, and community development. Educated at the University of Waikato with a Bachelor in Social Sciences and an MBA from Henley Business School in London, her career reflects a deep commitment to both professional excellence and Māori advancement.
In her public service career, Brenda held significant roles in policy and management in a number of government departments. Her governance experience includes directorships with Hutt Valley District Health Board, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, and the Accident Compensation Corporation. Brenda has contributed in a range of fields through publications and conferences. Her published research covers topics from public policy to forest management and traditional Māori knowledge. Brenda is currently the Executive Trustee for the Tuawhenua Trust, is focused on ecological and enterprise initiatives for the forests and people of Ruatāhuna. She was a key part of founding Manawa Honey NZ, of which she is now the CEO. Under her leadership, Manawa Honey NZ has gained international acclaim in the World’s Besting Tasting Honey Contest, and London Honey Awards. This venture epitomizes her dedication to sustainable practices, community development, and integrating traditional Māori values with modern business. |