Icelandic Honey

DISTRIBUTION: Iceland

SPECIES: Angelica – Angelica spp. (archangelica, sylvestris) / Heather – Calluna vulgaris / Crowberry – Empetrum nigrum / Alpine hawkweed – Hieracium alpinum / Willow – Salix spp. (caprea / myrsinifolia / phylicifolia) / Dandelion – Taraxacum officinale / Arctic thyme – Thymus præcox / Clover – Trifolium spp. (hybridum, medium, pratense, repens) / Blue vetch – Vicia cracca

INTENSITY ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧

COLOUR: Pale yellow

TEXTURE: Cristallyzed

SMELL / AROMA: Floral smell; pleasant, fragrant taste

Iceland is one of the unfriendly regions in the world for beekeeping. Cold, rain and wind are weather phenomena that bees do not appreciate at all. The forage season is short, but the long summer days compensate somewhat. Melliferous vegetation is concentrated in a few lowlands. The Arctic Circle passes just North of the island.

A few daredevil beekeepers (about 120 in all) are brave enough to try their hand at Icelandic honey. They practice beekeeping just as a hobby. Most of them only have one or two bee colonies.

Icelandic honey has the characteristics of Nordic honeys: light in colour (pale yellow to white), with a floral scent (sometimes slightly pungent, depending on the amount of dandelion available in season). Quickly crystallizing, it is usually a creamy honey with a very pleasant texture.

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