Manuka Honey MGO 263+ | UMF 10+ | 250g Raw New Zealand Honey

This Manuka Honey MGO 263+ is a 250g jar of raw New Zealand honey carrying a UMF 10+ grading alongside its MGO number. Manuka honey is produced by bees working the flowers of the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, which grows wild across New Zealand and flowers for only a few weeks each year. That short window is the reason manuka is priced so differently from ordinary blossom honey.

Reading the grades on Manuka Honey MGO 263+

Two numbering systems appear on manuka jars and they measure related things. MGO states the methylglyoxal content in milligrams per kilogram, so MGO 263+ means at least 263mg/kg. UMF is a broader graded standard that also checks authenticity markers and leptosperin, and UMF 10+ corresponds roughly to MGO 263+. A jar carrying both, as this one does, has been tested against both scales rather than self-declared.

Texture, flavour and how to use it

Expect a thick, slow-pouring honey, darker and more amber than clover honey, with a malty, faintly medicinal depth and a long finish. It is a table honey first and foremost: spread it on toast or oatcakes, stir it into porridge, or take it straight from the spoon. Stirring it into a hot drink is fine, though very hot liquid will thin the texture considerably.

Choosing between manuka grades

If you are new to manuka, grade affects price far more than it affects flavour. MGO 263+ sits in the middle of the range: clearly manuka in character, but without the outlay of the 500+ and 800+ jars. Most people buying manuka as an everyday table honey settle around this point and stay there.

Storage and cautions

Keep the jar sealed at room temperature and away from direct sunlight. Never use a wet spoon, as introduced water will spoil honey. Crystallisation is natural in raw honey and does not indicate a problem. Not suitable for infants under twelve months, which applies to all honey. This is a food, not a medicine.

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