Yemeni Sumra (Samar) Honey: Taste, Tradition and How to Use It

Sumra is the dark honey of Wadi Doan. It is made by the same beekeeper, in the same valley, as our Sidr, but in a different season and from a different tree, and in Yemen many people rank a good Sumra alongside Sidr. In 2026 the Great Taste judges agreed, awarding it 2 stars and calling it "a super honey, complex and interesting."

What is Sumra honey?

Sumra honey (عسل السمرة) is a monofloral honey made by Yemen's native bees from the flowers of Acacia tortilis, a wild acacia of the Yemeni valleys. It is very dark, from deep red to near-black, thick, and less sweet than Sidr, with a warm roasted-date flavour.

One tree, three names

Acacia tortilis is called Sumra (سُمْرَة) and Samar (سَمَر) across Yemen. In Hadramout the honey is also called Al-Mariyah (المريّة). You will see it spelled Sumra, Sumrah and Samar online. It is the same honey.

A honey that waits for rain

Sumra trees flower only after seasonal rain. In Hadramout the Sumra season falls in May and June, the second of the region's three honey seasons, after Sidr (October to mid-November) and before Marai (July to September). The rain always comes eventually; what nobody can predict is when. That is why Sumra is harvested once a year at most, and why supply is never guaranteed.

What Sumra honey tastes like

Warm, full-bodied and deep: roasted dates, dark caramel, a slight tartness and an earthy finish. It is less floral than Sidr and less sweet, with a higher acidity that makes it taste concentrated.

Why Sumra stays liquid

We have not yet seen our Sumra crystallise. It is slow to crystallise and may stay liquid for a long time, far longer than Sidr.

Sumra at a glance

What to expect in the jar

Sumra darkens further as it ages, and it may stay liquid for a very long time. Its thickness can change slightly from season to season, depending on the rain. None of that affects its quality.

Who chooses Sumra

In Yemen, Sumra has its own loyal following: some people buy it instead of Sidr, not as a cheaper alternative. Many of our customers are Yemeni and Gulf families who grew up with it; others simply prefer a darker, less sweet honey.

Sumra honey benefits in Yemeni tradition

In Yemen, Sumra is the honey for the stomach. Traditionally it is taken on an empty stomach for digestion and is widely regarded as better than Sidr for the gut. It is also taken for energy, and it ranks second after Sal as a winter honey for the chest. Many Yemeni families take Sidr and Sumra together.

Read more in Sumra honey benefits. Research is early: a 2008 study looked at Sumra honey in animal models of inflammatory bowel conditions and reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. That is laboratory research, not proof of what it does in people. Honey is a food, not a medicine.

Judged blind: 2-Star Great Taste 2026

Great Taste is judged blind by food experts. In 2026 our Yemeni Sumra honey won 2 stars. The judges wrote: "A super honey, complex and interesting."

How to use Sumra honey

• A spoonful on an empty stomach, the Yemeni way.
• With dates, yoghurt or porridge, where its roasted notes shine.
• In warm tea, kept below 40°C.
• Half-and-half with Sidr, a pairing Yemeni families have used for generations.

Sumra or Sidr?

Same valley, different seasons, different characters. Read our Sidr vs Sumra honey comparison, or try both in the Sidr & Sumra Set.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sumra the same as Samar honey?

Yes. Sumra, Sumrah and Samar are names for the same honey from Acacia tortilis.

Why is Sumra cheaper than Sidr?

Because it is less known outside Yemen, not because it is lesser. In 2026 it won the same 2-star award as our Royal Sidr.

Is Sumra honey raw?

Yes. Ours is raw, unheated and unblended, from Wadi Doan, and direct from our beekeeper.

More about the valley this honey comes from: Wadi Doan, Hadramout.

Sources

• Great Taste 2026: Yemeni Sumra Honey, 2-Star