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Honey carries the flavor of whatever the bees were working, and Miombo honey makes the point loudly. It comes from the flowering trees of the Miombo woodlands, the dry forests that run across Tanzania and much of south-central Africa and shelter elephants, lions and hundreds of bird species.
On paper it is nothing like the clover-based wines. The producer's notes talk about leather, aged tobacco, maple syrup and dark caramel, closer to a digestif than to a white wine.
At a glance
- Style
- Semi-sweet, still
- Alcohol
- 12.5% ABV
- Ingredients
- Raw Tanzanian Miombo honey, raw American clover honey and spring water
- Calories
- about 140 per 5 oz glass
- Bottle
- 750 ml
- Price
- $52 (October 2026)
- Best for
- People who like dark, smoky, bittersweet flavors
What it tastes like
We have condensed the producer's tasting notes below. If you like tawny Port, amaro or a bourbon-barrel anything, this is the bottle in the range most likely to feel familiar.
Aroma
Star thistle, leather and aged tobacco
Palate
Bourbon-barrel maple syrup, deeply roasted chestnut and a hint of Italian amaro
Finish
Long: menthol, campfire smoke and dark caramel
How it is made
- Raw Miombo honey from Tanzania, blended with raw American clover honey and spring water.
- The producer states a minimum of six months in barrel and three years in bottle.
Food pairing and serving
- Smoked brisket and ribs
- Aged Gouda, Manchego and other hard cheeses
- Dark chocolate
- After dinner, in place of a digestif
Lightly chilled, 50 to 55°F, so the darker aromas are not muted. Once opened, keep it corked in the refrigerator; the producer says it holds for about a week. More in how to serve and store honey wine and the pairing guide.
Reasons to buy, and reasons not to
For
- A profile far from the clover-based wines, going by the producer's notes
- Shows how much honey origin matters
- Made with honey from Tanzania's Miombo woodland
Against
- The smoky, bittersweet profile is not for everyone
- Start with the classic Demi Sec if you are new to mead
Best for: People who like dark, smoky, bittersweet flavors.
New to this producer? Our Bee d'Vine guide covers who makes it and how the range fits together, where to buy honey wine explains ordering and shipping, and best honey wine ranks every bottle by style.
Grape wines in a similar style
Honey wine is hard to find in shops. If you want something close to this bottle from a wine retailer, these nutty dessert wines from our partner shops share its sweetness level or style. They are grape wines, not mead, and the notes are the retailer's.
Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny Port
- Tawny Port
- Sweet
- Portugal
A ten-year tawny: sweet, nutty and caramel-led, a classic after-dinner pour.
Wine On Sale says: Amber tawny with dried apricot and fig, nuts and caramel on the nose, with a touch of vanilla sweetness.
Warre's Otima 10 Year Tawny Port
- Tawny Port
- Sweet
- Portugal
The merchant notes mention honey and caramel; sold in a 500 ml bottle.
Wine On Sale says: A lighter, contemporary tawny with dried fig, apricot and almond flavors and notes of honey and caramel.
Fonseca Late Bottled Vintage Unfiltered Port 2018
- Late bottled vintage Port
- Sweet
- Portugal
A ruby-style Port, the dark fruit counterpart to tawny.
Wine On Sale says: Deep ruby LBV with blackberry, plum and cassis aromas and ripe black fruit, dark chocolate and black pepper on the palate.
JS 93 (as listed by Wine On Sale)
Questions about Demi Sec Miombo
Why does it taste smoky?
The producer attributes the character to the Miombo honey. Dark forest honeys are more savory and resinous than pale clover honey, and once the sugar has been fermented away those notes stand out.
