Clary Sage
Oso Honey Farm is currently the only beekeeper in the Western US producing Clary Sage honey.
The story behind these absolutely gorgeous pink and white fields in bloom at sunset, oddly enough, has everything to do with the tobacco industry.
The entire Clary Sage plant contains high levels of sclareol, which can be processed into a prized, amber-scented fixitive that's predominately used to flavor cigarettes, but also to help fragrances in perfumes and soaps maintain their scent over time.
The vast majority of sclareol processing happens in North Carolina where the crop is grown out, but to plant out big fields you need a lot of seed, seed that cannot finish well in North Carolina's summer rain storms, which is where Oregon comes in.
The long dry summers in Oregon's Willamette Valley make it perfect for Clary Sage seed production.
Henry tried out the crop with a few hives about then years ago, harvesting just ten gallons with his kids by hand. The honey was incredible, the crop was a great nectar source for the bees, and eventually he got up to pollinating about 200 acres by 2017 when clary sage production was at its peak in the valley.
Over time, a method of producing a synthetic sclareol decreased the need to grow out as much clary sage, and the last remaining contracts for Clary Sage pollination in the Western US happen to be ours. The crop is only grown out once every 3-4 years, producing enough seed needed to sustain what’s left of the clary sage / sclareol industry, making this honey even more limited over time.
What does Clary Sage honey taste like?
Light amber in color with a buttery brightness and notes of rose petal, Clary Sage is both uniquely aromatic and versatile. Sage in general is one of many aromatic plants in the Lamiaceae family alongside mint, basil, anise hyssop, lavender, rosemary, and countless others. And that aromatic quality most definitely comes through in the honey.
Perfect for tea, drizzling on a dessert, or used in baking for its uniquely floral sweetness, Clary Sage is a lovely and most unique monofloral honey.
Clary Sage in Bloom
Photos by Henry Storch
