Mad honey is honey that contains grayanotoxins. The dark, reddish honey is produced from the nectar and pollen of genus Rhododendron and has intoxicating effects.
Mad honey is produced principally in Nepal and Turkey, where it is used as a traditional medicine and recreational drug. In the Hindu Kush Himalayan range, it is produced by Himalayan giant honey bees (Apis laboriosa). Honey hunting in Nepal has been traditionally performed by the Gurung people. The honey can also be found rarely in the eastern United States.
Historical accounts of mad honey are found in Ancient Greek texts. The Greek military leader Xenophon wrote in his Anabasis about the effects of mad honey on soldiers in 401 BCE. In 65 BCE, during the Third Mithridatic War, King Mithridates used mad honey as a biological weapon against Roman soldiers under General Pompey. During the 18th century, mad honey was imported to Europe where it was added to alcoholic beverages.