Honey of the Month - November 2021

Local Honey man, British Heather Honey

2021 has not been a stellar year for British honey production. The bees have struggled throughout the summer with wet and rapidly changing weather conditions. Beekeepers have been on tenterhooks throughout the year wondering how much, if any, honey they would be able to take off the hives.

But all is not lost! What was bad for the summer flora and fauna was good for the autumn flowering plants. Heather honey is a notoriously fickle beast, but the mild and wet weather of the autumn has led to a bumper heather honey harvest.

One of the best and most reliable parts of England for heather honey is Yorkshire. With its high sweeping moors carpeted in the regal purples and violets of late flowering ling heather, Yorkshire produces some of the most flavourful heather honeys. And it is from Yorkshire that Local Honey Man’s British Heather Honey hails.

Single variety heather honey has a rich, almost pungent aroma and an unusual thixotropic texture which is highly prized by honey connoisseurs. Its warming spice-like character is a perfect accompaniment to the long chilly November nights with their soundtrack of crisp fallen leaves and the distant crack of fireworks.

Here’s what Olly Smith had to say about his choice of Local Honey Man, British Heather Honey:

”This is a beautiful heather honey from hives nestled in the moorlands of Yorkshire. The savouriness of the heather is brought to life in its wonderful long-lasting flavour - inspired, no doubt by the rolling countryside!

It’s a rich, bright honey, delicately savoury with an orangey tang – think marmalade edge. Richly satisfying, what could be a more perfect honey to start the day in these cooler Autumn months?

Tasting this gloriously amber bronze nectar made me ‘mmm’ and ‘oo’ out loud as it filled me with a deep sense of nourishment. Finely balanced, this is a raw honey full of depth and deliciousness. Dive in.” 

This honey is produced by Curtis Thompson and his London-based Local Honey Man team. Curtis has recently collaborated with the BBC to produce some content for CBBC aimed at children and young aspiring beekeepers.

Curtis himself learnt beekeeping at a young age from his uncle who was a master beekeeper and he has since achieved great success with Local Honey Man with his hives situated mainly within the M25. Obviously there is not much heather in and around London, so sensibly he has chosen Yorkshire to site his heather hives.

We hope you enjoy this honey as much as we did. Please let us know your thoughts. If you would like to purchase a jar you can click this link