For those of us who like a spoonful of honey with our tea, we know there's nothing like the complex sweetness a really good honey offers to offset the complex astringency in tea. They make perfect bedfellows.

And yet, many tea drinkers still use lower quality 'bear' honey regardless of the tea they're drinking. Given the richness and high quality of the tea Adagio offers, using a sweetener not made to the same exacting standards would just be a waste.

Luckily, in addition to offering just about everything else tea lovers need to indulge their passion, from accessories like teapots, tea makers, matcha bowls, glassware and more to pantry items like spices, mints, and, of course, honey.

Each honey offers a unique flavor palette, and some of them are specifically designed to pair perfectly with a certain variety of tea. Adagio really is obsessed with providing tea lovers with everything we need to indulge our passions.

Also, don't forget September is Honey Month! Keep a look out for special offers and events. If you haven't already, sign up for Adagio's email notifications to get the latest special offers in your Account Communications section. Don't miss out!

Now for the delicious part of this article- a review of each of the honeys by flavor palette, viscosity, ideal pairings, as well as their crystallization rates/shelf lives. The list is organized by honeys offered in each sample pack.

Honey Sampler - Black & Green

Raw Honey - Green Teas

Profile: A specially-selected Goldenrod with a flavor palette perfect for green teas. While many Goldenrod honeys have a signature cheesiness, this one thankfully does not. However, it still bares Goldenrod's complex earthiness and hints of floral. It's therefore a complex and well-rounded honey that can add a lot to a milder tea without overwhelming it.

Viscosity: High. Given the thickness and granules in this one, it might not be well suited for a honey pump.

Crystallization: All raw honey will crystallize faster than processed ones. While this indicates your honey is pure, and raw Goldenrod tends to crystallize especially quickly, given its high glucose and low water content.

Raw Honey - Black Teas

Profile: Like many honeys, Orange Blossom derives its name from the variety of plants that lend their pollen to the hives. Some fruiting plants naturally lend their fruit's aromas to honey, and so this honey unsurprisingly has citrus notes, but it's not too strong or sharp. The orange flavor has about the same presence as if you squeezed an orange slice into a tall glass of water. Just enough to notice.

Viscosity: Medium. Could do fine in a pump.

Crystallization rate: Medium-Slow

Whipped Honey - Matcha

Profile:This specially-formulated honey combines matcha powder with blueberry honey. The matcha is definitely the dominant flavor. It tastes like matcha tea with honey. It pairs well with matcha tea of course, but it would likely also do fine as a complement to other teas, and also a tasty spread or an ingredient in pastries. It's good to have some in the kitchen for when you're feeling adventurous with your sweeteners. Also note that even matcha powder contains caffeine, though the caffeine content of this honey would best be described as 'trace'.

Viscosity: Basically a solid. This won't run through a pump unless you have Dwayne Johnson finger strength.

Crystallization: Whipped honeys like this tend to crystallize slower, given that they are already crystallized to some extent, and their added ingredients tend to be relatively low in glucose saturation.

Honey Sampler - Herbals

Raw Honey - Fruit Tisanes

Profile: Also known as Acacia honey, nectar from the black locust tree gives this honey its distinct appearance and flavor palette. But unlike Orange Blossom honey, Black Locust honey couldn't look or taste any further from its namesake. The honey bears a light color and sweet, aromatic flavor. Its initial taste is delicate and purely sweet, and it leaves a surprising and serene floral aftertaste. A spoonful of this is like walking through a flowery meadow. Very calming. Pairs well with herbal tisanes.

This honey is also popular owing to its purported antioxidant content and health benefits, as well as its long shelf life.

Viscosity: Low. Can use and store in a pump without worrying.

Crystallization: Slow

Raw Honey - Rooibos

Profile: Made from the nectar of the Japanese knotweed, this honey has a rich, dark palette. Very earthy and complex. It's a flavor that lingers, almost sticks to your mouth. I had a small pea-sized taster about two minutes ago and I can still taste all the complex flavors. It's not overwhelming, but whatever particles are in the honey stick around like a spice, even though it's not really a 'spicy' honey. As the name implies, this rich honey makes a perfect companion to an Adagio Rooibos tea.

Viscosity: High, though not fully crystalline. Still, a pump would likely struggle with it.

Crystallization rate: Fast. There was already crystalline sediment at the bottom of my jar on arrival, so you might want to mix it if you're interested in more viscosity to use it as a spread.

Raw Honey - Garden Herbals

Profile: Using nectar from the blueberry plant, this honey is reminiscent of a Clover honey in texture and basic taste but has a more complex herbal palette. Despite being derived from blueberry plants, it's difficult to detect notes of the fruit, though this honey is known to release fruitier aromas when cooked. Its herbal notes are more complex than the Fruit Tisanes (Black Locust), but it's still smooth. Pairs well with herbal teas that complement this honey's earth tones.

Viscosity: Medium. Could do fine in a honey pump.

Crystallization: Medium

Honey Sampler - Whipped

Whipped Honey - Matcha

Profile:This specially-formulated honey combines matcha powder with blueberry honey. The matcha is definitely the dominant flavor. It tastes like matcha tea with honey. It pairs well with matcha tea of course, but it would likely also do fine as a complement to other teas, and also a tasty spread or an ingredient in pastries. It's good to have some in the kitchen for when you're feeling adventurous with your sweeteners. Also note that even matcha powder contains caffeine, though the caffeine content of this honey would best be described as 'trace'.

Viscosity: Basically a solid. Pump not recommended.

Crystallization: Whipped honeys like this tend to crystallize slower, given that they are already crystallized to some extent, and their added ingredients tend to be relatively low in glucose saturation.

Whipped Honey - Cinnamon

Profile: Unlike the other kinds of honey, which only derive nectar from the plant, this honey is actually whipped with real cinnamon. It's fairly strong, so I recommend adding small amounts until you get the flavor you want. This would be a great addition to a simpler tea or to add further spice and richness to a chai or other spiced tea. I will definitely be adding this to a mint tea come winter. Also, whipped honey is great on toast or mixed in some hot oatmeal.

Viscosity: High. Pump not recommended.

Crystallization rate: Slow. Whipped honey contains a lot of smaller crystals already, so larger crystals won't form as quickly, especially given the low glucose content in cinnamon. However, you might be inclined to heat this honey come winter to keep it spreading easily.

Whipped Honey - Chocolate

Profile: It's as good as you think it is. Better, actually, because the chocolate is surprisingly tame. The raw clover honey Adagio uses as a base is rich and almost spicy, but neutral, which allows the cocoa powder to augment it, rather than overpower it. And so it's definitely more of chocolate-flavored honey than honey-flavored chocolate. I can all but guarantee you'll start grabbing this jar to schmear it on everything from toast to crackers to cookies.

Viscosity: High. Don't try the pump with this one.

Crystallization: Due to the high glucose content, low water and high viscosity, this honey will likely crystallize fairly quickly.

Honey Sampler - Premium

Raw Honey - Manuka 100+

Profile: Made from the pollen of the Australian manuka tree, this honey is rich and earthy without being overwhelming. I noticed it has little to no 'spiciness' or lingering aftertaste, even though the initial flavor is strong and complex. The immediate aftertaste is notably earthy, and similar to Acacia, is distinct from the initial flavor profile. I would it describe as pleasantly earthy.

Another unique property of this honey is its purported healing ability. It is rich in a compound called methylglyoxal (MGO), a natural antibiotic so widely acknowledged that honey is rated based on its density of MGO. Adagio Manuka honey is certified as MGO 100+ (mg/kg).

Viscosity: Medium. May do well with pump.

Crystallization: Medium.

Raw Honey - Tupelo

Profile: Produced from White Ogeechee Tupelo trees grown in the Southern United States. A light and clean palette with aromas of citrus, fruit, and floral. The flavors are mild and sweet, and would pair well with a variety of green, white, or milder herbal teas.

Viscosity: Low. Would do well with the pump.

Crystallization: Tupelo has a famously slow crystallization rate due to its high water saturation.

Raw Honey - Sourwood

Profile: Derived from the nectar of the Sourwood tree native to the Carolinas and Tennessee, this honey is smooth and relatively unassuming at first (at least compared to powerhouses like the Rooibos or Matcha honeys), but this one is all about secondary flavors. It carries a variety of sweet and sour notes from anise spice and maple, and it leaves a wonderfully complex aftertaste reminiscent of spiced caramel. The flavor has an intriguing story to tell that unfolds gradually. And so if you're just eating a spoonful by itself (and I don't see why you wouldn't), I would recommend you savor it, give it time to reveal its many notes. This honey would pair well with spiced teas like cinnamon and chai, and probably even some varieties of sweet teas, such as mint or caramel.

Viscosity: Low, mixes well. Would do well with the pump.

Crystallization: Slow