DISTRIBUTION: Mediterranean Basin: Greece (Island of Crete)
SPECIES: Conehead thyme, Persian hyssop – Thymus capitatus / Turkish pine – Pinus brutia
INTENSITY ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧
COLOUR: Red-brown
TEXTURE: Liquid, viscous
SMELL / AROMA: Woody, intense
The Island of Crete has optimal conditions for making a mixed honey (nectar & honeydew), in that it both has extensive pine forests, and many areas naturally covered with conehead thyme.
The thyme & pine honey is one of the few Greek honeys to have been awarded the PDO label of the EU, which recognizes the uniqueness of a product obtained in a well-defined geographical area.
The most widespread species of pine in Crete is the Turkish pine (Pinus brutia); and the most widespread wild thyme species is Thymus capitatus. The nectar and honeydew of these two species produce an intense, dark-brown honey with an aroma, smell and taste that are characteristic of both thyme and honeydew honeys. Because of its honeydew component, it remains liquid for years.
The thyme & pine honey is one of the few Greek honeys to have been awarded the PDO label of the EU, which recognizes the uniqueness of a product obtained in a well-defined geographical area.
The most widespread species of pine in Crete is the Turkish pine (Pinus brutia); and the most widespread wild thyme species is Thymus capitatus. The nectar and honeydew of these two species produce an intense, dark-brown honey with an aroma, smell and taste that are characteristic of both thyme and honeydew honeys. Because of its honeydew component, it remains liquid for years.
