Flower Power

It’s always best to source your honey as locally as possible, but this community-spirited approach may well limit your choice. For the small-time beekeeper, honey flavour is difficult to dictate, as it is largely determined by the flowers from which the bees gather nectar. This is less of a problem, of course, for the shop-bound forager who can choose from a wide variety of styles.

Ultimately, your choice should be guided by the alcoholic concoction you want to make. Punchy flavours such as those of heather honey are great for wines and meads, while you may prefer the more subtle flavours provided by orange blossom honey when making a honey beer, or if you wish to add rich sweetness to a cocktail without drowning out the taste of other more delicate additions.