Wild Thymes, Honey
It was the simple packaging that drew me in: clean white type set against gold and amber honey hues, rising above cliches. It spelled out promise of a “Wild Thyme Honey” I couldn’t resist picking up then offered tasting notes that grabbed me right back, “Often referred to as the Gorgonzola of honey, Central Otago Wild Thyme is bold, aromatic and intensely flavoured. It is caramel in colour with an intense aroma and savoury flavour with heathery, grassy and woody notes with a hint of lanolin.” The story of single origin and varietal organic honeys made me buy. The taste was out of this world. The verdict: “honey, you’re home!” (Along with the Manuka Honey Active 12+)
I had been seduced by a terroirist network known as New Zealand Artisan Honey, made up of passionate beekeepers producing honeys in small, quality batches from specific varietal sources among some of New Zealand’s most spectactular locations.
Sadly, most bees and beekeepers are not having such a romantic experience. I had noticed my previous honey brands losing their organic status as the varroa mite has spread south through New Zealand. There is evidence that CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) has arrived in New Zealand, and it’s likely due to the strong neonicotinoids, a class of systemic insecticides which France, Italy and Switzerland have banned because of its effects on bees.
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