At a glance
Carob honey
Ceratonia siliqua
Colour
Amber49–80 mm Pfund
Aroma
Flour-likeearthy or malty notes with other forage
Taste
Sweet and astringentlike unripe quince
Crystallisation
Rapid and coarsesets early
Season
Autumnlate flowering
Region
Mediterranean coastand the south-western coast
Pollen reference
30%a substantial pollen contribution
Conductivity
up to 0.80 mS/cmup to 1.6 reported in the Balearic Islands
Imagine the mouthfeel of an unripe persimmon or quince. That drying sensation is how the guide characterises carob honey. The profile also contains one of its most striking laboratory observations.
The carob tree flowers in autumn, after many other Mediterranean flows have faded. Its amber honey has a distinctly drying finish.
Reading and tasting carob honey
This Spanish-language field guide compares botanical origin, tasting and laboratory findings. Use the profile together with the traceability of the lot.
Compare island and mainland samples
- Record both the locality and the measured conductivity.
- Distinguish the published guide value from the requirement for the sales description.
What astringency feels like
Tasting note:a distinctly dry, rough sensation on the palate, reminiscent of unripe quince or persimmon.
Other everyday comparisons in the guide include the oily mouthfeel of viper’s bugloss honey and the olive-seasoning aroma of savory honey. For carob, the most helpful comparison is the way unripe fruit dries the mouth.
Yellow broom and loquat honey are also described as astringent. In carob honey the drying effect is particularly pronounced.
Balearic samples and conductivity up to 1.6 mS/cm
The carob profile normally gives a maximum electrical conductivity of 0.80 mS/cm. Its authors add a geographical observation for the Balearic Islands, which matters when interpreting a laboratory report.
For carob honey from the Balearic Islands the guide reports electrical conductivity up to 1.6 mS/cm.
This is an observation about samples. The legal conditions are a separate matter. Carob is absent from the named exceptions in Spain’s Royal Decree 1049/2003. A carob-honey lot above 0.8 mS/cm does not meet the ordinary conductivity condition for blossom honey.
The reported reading is twice the usual carob profile limit. Compare it with holm oak honeydew honeywhen interpreting the difference between a high reading and botanical origin. The guide describes this as a geographical variation between island and mainland carob honey.
Colour
Amber, ranging from 49 to 80 mm Pfund.
Carob honey on the Pfund scale
In the light amber to amber range. On-screen colours give an approximate visual guide. A laboratory measures the actual value.
Aroma, taste and texture
Sensory profile
Our interpretation of the descriptions in the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas. The bitterness and acidity row represents the marked astringency recorded in this profile.
Aroma
A floral aroma with notes of flour. Heather can add an earthy forest-floor note and honeydew can bring a malty aroma. Other late-season resources influence the harvest.
Taste
The taste is sweet, sometimes with traces of saltiness or bitterness. Honeydew and heather may contribute to these nuances. The most characteristic sensation is astringency.
Crystallisation
It tends to set quickly and form coarse grains.
Interpreting the laboratory profile
| Parameter | Reference in the guide | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | 49–80 mm Pfund | Amber, with a defined lower and upper value. |
| Moisture | up to 18% | Fermentation risk increases above the guide value. The general EU limit for blossom honey is 20%. |
| Fructose and glucose combined | at least 60% | A characteristic of blossom honey. This figure on its own cannot exclude added syrup. |
| Sucrose | up to 5% | One of the sugars reported in the analysis. |
| Electrical conductivity | up to 0.80 mS/cm | High. The guide reports up to 1.6 mS/cm in the Balearic Islands. Spain’s quality standard does not exempt carob from the ordinary 0.8 mS/cm limit for blossom honey. |
| Free acidity | up to 50 meq/kg | Can rise with fermentation or extended storage. |
| HMF | up to 40 mg/kg | HMF increases with heat and time in storage. |
| Diastase activity | at least 8 Schade units | Indicator of enzyme activity, which can decline with heat. |
| Ceratonia pollen | at least 30% | The plant contributes appreciable pollen. The percentage refers to the pollen counted. |
Reference ranges from the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas, fourth edition (2023). These characterise the variety. Spanish statutory limits are set by Royal Decree 1049/2003 as amended by Royal Decree 68/2025, including a general maximum of 20% moisture and 40 mg/kg HMF, subject to the exceptions in the legislation.
Other pollen in carob honey
- Legumes
- Rockroses (Cistaceae)
- Daisy family (Asteraceae)
- Heather
Growing areas and harvest season
The guide lists the Mediterranean coastline and the south-western coast, including Portugal. Carob grows well in dry coastal areas and flowers in autumn. Like strawberry tree and loquat honey, it offers one of the later harvests.
Carob honey flow
FloweringFlowering and harvest
The guide places the main harvest in autumn. Alongside strawberry tree, loquat and certain honeydew honeys, carob is among the final harvests of the year.
How to recognise carob honey
- 1Look for a drying finish. Astringency reminiscent of unripe quince is its most characteristic feature.
- 2Amber, 49–80 mm Pfund. An outlying colour calls for checking the accompanying flora.
- 3A flour-like background. Heather or honeydew can add forest-floor or malt notes.
- 4It soon sets with coarse crystals. Long-lasting fluidity is unusual for this profile.
- 5Read Balearic conductivity carefully. The guide reports up to 1.6 mS/cm, while the ordinary Spanish blossom-honey limit remains 0.8 mS/cm.
For a broader view, see how to assess honey quality and our guide to Spanish honey labelling requirements.
Composition and health claims
Health claims on food are regulated in the EU. The distinguishing features here are its floral origin, conductivity and sensory profile.
These characteristics matter when tasting or using the honey.
- Some Balearic carob samples have the highest conductivity recorded in this guide.
- Its marked astringency is compared with unripe quince.
- Carob supplies one of the few autumn honey flows in the Iberian calendar.
- Its drying finish makes a useful contrast with cheese, cured meats, roast vegetables and richer dishes.
Who should take particular care?
Children under 12 months. Do not give honey to infants under one year. It can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum that may cause infant botulism. This applies to all types of honey.
Diabetes. honey is a source of sugars. This also applies to natural and monofloral honeys when planning a diet.
Known allergy. Anyone with a diagnosed allergy to honey or bee products should consult their clinician if unsure what is safe for them.
Frequently asked questions
Why does carob honey leave my mouth feeling dry?
Astringency is its most distinctive sensory feature. The guide compares the rough, dry finish with unripe quince or persimmon. Yellow broom and loquat honeys may also show astringency, generally less prominently.
Why can Balearic carob honey show such high conductivity?
The Iberian guide records measurements up to 1.6 mS/cm there, compared with its usual profile maximum of 0.80. It reports a geographical observation without establishing the cause. It does not create a legal exemption from Spain’s ordinary blossom-honey conductivity limit.
When is carob honey harvested?
In autumn. Carob trees flower late on Mediterranean and south-western coasts, after much other forage has faded, around the season of strawberry tree, loquat and some honeydew honeys.
Who should take particular care?
Never give honey to a baby under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. People with diabetes should count its sugars in their diet. Anyone with a diagnosed allergy to hive products should seek individual medical advice.
Where to buy carob honey
We do not currently stock carob honey. Ask coastal beekeepers in eastern Spain, the Balearic Islands or the Algarve about their autumn harvest. For another characterful dark honey in our range, try raw heather honey.
Sources
The reference ranges come from the fourth edition (June 2023) of the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas by J. Orantes, F. Gonell, C. Torres and A. Gómez-Pajuelo, published by Laboratorios Apinevada and Pajuelo Consultores Apícolas. Their work draws on a series reaching back to 1980 and more than 3,600 analyses a year across the two laboratories. The printed guide in Spanish is available in our shop.
This profile belongs to our series on Iberian honeys. Compare its astringency with yellow broom and loquat, and its autumn harvest with strawberry tree honey.
