Heather honey is considered one of the most distinctive types of honey that the Netherlands has to offer. While most honey flows nicely liquid from the tap after extraction, heather honey behaves completely differently. In this article, we explain what makes heather honey so special, how its striking structure comes about, and why harvesting it is a skill all its own.
What is Heather Honey?
Heather honey is made by bees that collect nectar from the flowers of common heather (Calluna vulgaris), the purple plant that colors the Dutch heathlands in late summer. In the Netherlands, heather honey primarily comes from the Veluwe, where extensive heathlands such as the Ginkelse Heide provide bee colonies with a rich source of nectar. Heather honey is therefore often considered the prime example of typical Dutch regional honey.
Why is the Structure of Heather Honey so Special?
The most striking characteristic of heather honey is its thick, jelly-like texture. While most types of honey are liquid after extraction (and only gradually crystallize later), heather honey already has a viscous, almost solid consistency directly from the comb. This is due to a specific protein compound in the nectar of common heather, which gives the honey a so-called thixotropic property: the honey only becomes more liquid when you stir it or apply pressure, and then thickens again when at rest. Some heather honey is so firm that you can hold the jar upside down without the contents spilling out.
How is Heather Honey Harvested?
This special structure makes harvesting heather honey considerably more labor-intensive than with regular honey. With regular honey, the beekeeper spins the full combs in an extractor, causing the honey to fly out due to centrifugal force. This doesn't work with heather honey: the gel-like structure is too firm to extract from the comb in this way.
Beekeepers therefore use adapted techniques. Often, the wax cappings of the combs are first loosened with a special uncapping roller with needles (also called a "heather unstopper"), which opens the honey cells without damaging the honey itself. Subsequently, the honey is sometimes removed with extra force or via a press, instead of simply being extracted. This process takes considerably more time and effort than harvesting regular honey, which directly affects the price.
In addition, heather honey is a distinct seasonal product: common heather flowers for only a few weeks, typically in August and September, and the yield varies greatly from year to year, depending on the weather during the flowering period. Some years, the harvest is disappointing or even fails completely. This combination of a labor-intensive harvesting process and a variable, limited harvest makes heather honey one of the rarer and more expensive Dutch honey types.
What Does Heather Honey Taste Like?
Heather honey has a dark, amber to reddish-brown color and a powerful, spicy flavor with a slight bitterness and a long aftertaste. Its aroma is often described as a combination of wood and fruit notes. This distinctive taste makes heather honey popular with people who appreciate a robust, characterful honey, in contrast to, for example, the mild acacia honey.
What is the Difference Between Heather Honey and Regular Honey?
The main difference lies in both the nectar source and the structure. Regular wildflower honey comes from a mix of various flowers and is liquid after extraction. Heather honey specifically comes from common heather, naturally has a lower moisture content and a different glucose-fructose ratio, which results in that characteristic thick, jelly-like texture. Also, in terms of taste, heather honey is much more pronounced and spicier than the milder, rounder taste of regular wildflower honey.
Is Heather Honey Healthy?
Like all honey, heather honey consists predominantly of natural sugars. If you want to know more about what is specifically known about heather honey and its composition, you can read about it in our blog Is heather honey healthy? As with any type of honey: use it primarily for its taste, and consult a doctor or dietitian for health questions.
Why is Heather Honey so Expensive?
The price of heather honey is mainly determined by two factors: the labor-intensive harvesting process described above, and its scarcity due to the short, weather-dependent flowering period of common heather. While a beekeeper can extract regular honey relatively quickly, processing heather honey takes much more time per kilogram. This extra labor and uncertainty about the annual yield explain why heather honey is generally more expensive than regular wildflower honey.
Where to Buy Heather Honey?
At Honingwinkel.nl you will find heather honey directly from the Veluwe, including organic heather honey. Our heather honey is part of a broader range of Dutch honey, directly from local beekeepers. Every jar is 100% pure and unprocessed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is heather honey healthy? Like all honey, heather honey consists mainly of natural sugars. Read more in our blog about the composition of heather honey, and always consult a doctor for specific health questions.
Why is heather honey so expensive? Due to the labor-intensive harvesting process (the gel-like structure cannot be simply extracted) and the short, weather-dependent flowering period of common heather, which makes the annual harvest uncertain and limited.
What is the difference between heather honey and regular honey? Heather honey comes specifically from common heather and has a thick, jelly-like structure and a spicy, robust taste. Regular wildflower honey comes from a mix of flowers and is more liquid and milder in taste.
What is heather honey? Honey that bees make from the nectar of common heather (Calluna vulgaris), a plant that grows mainly on the Veluwe heathlands in the Netherlands.
Curious about our heather honey from the Veluwe? View the full range at Honingwinkel.nl.