finest in the world
The peculiar combination of conditions found in the Scottish Highlands make it an exceptional environment for our bees to create what are regarded as the finest honeys in the world.
Scotland is particularly renowned for its coveted thick, aromatic caramel-coloured heather honey, created from the nectar in the purple bell-like flowers which carpet the beautiful and unpolluted Highland moors in late summer.
Come the springtime our bees get busy collecting nectar from the wild flowers that bloom across the glens and hillsides and the soft fruit trees in the area to turn it into sweet polyfloral honey with a unique complex flavour.
We help the bees along by positioning their hives in small groups in pristine, unspoiled countryside locations where they have access to the heather and wild flowers they need to source the nectar for their honey, with the added benefit of pollinating the plants as they go.
Our standards
The bees fill their “honey stomachs” with nectar, where enzymes straight away go to work breaking down complex sugars into single sugars in the first step towards turning the nectar into honey.
Back at the hive the bees place the nectar in a honeycomb cell. They fan the nectar using their wings, to evaporate the remaining moisture, and the sugars thicken into honey. Each cell is sealed off with a wax cap.
When the bees have done their work we carefully spin the frames to harvest the laden honeycombs, leaving enough behind to feed the hive through the winter months.
The pure honey is not pasteurised or mixed with anything else, but gently warmed, filtered and bottled in our branded jars. When you buy our honey it retains the pollen, enzymes and proteins which naturally occur in this sweet, delicious superfood.
healing properties
Scientific research has shown that not only does Scottish heather honey taste divine and have amazing culinary value, but it is also a superfood containing essential nutrients.
It’s a powerful source of antioxidants, as well as being a significant source of dietary manganese. Manganese is an essential mineral which, among other things, helps maintain healthy bones, and is required for the normal functioning of your brain and nervous system.
Another health property that is often cited as having been proven in medical studies is that pure Scottish heather honey has remarkable anti-bacterial and healing properties, which come from hydrogen peroxide, a naturally-occurring chemical produced by enzymes that are in the honey.
The culinary uses of heather honey are legendary – its been used for centuries to add its unique flavour to everything from ale and mead to barbecue marinades and ice-cream.
