Aberdeenshire honey runs from light spring blossom and oilseed rape honeys to strong ling heather honey from the hills. Royal Deeside Honey & Bees, with about 80 colonies in apiaries between Glen Dye and Birkhall, keeps native Scottish black bees or locally bred stock and sells everything from mild oilseed rape honey to traditional ling heather; Udny Provender makes a light early-summer blossom honey and a darker late-summer heather honey from apiaries across northern Aberdeenshire. Cove Honey Bees' colonies also pollinate cherry orchards, blueberries and soft fruit for Castleton Farm.
Local beekeepers rate their own honey highly. At an Aberdeen and District Beekeepers' Association tasting of 36 honeys from around the world, some tasted blind, the top four were an Aberdeenshire heather blend, two Aberdeenshire blossom honeys and the association's own ling heather honey. The association also holds an annual honey show.
Most producers here are small and sell direct, online or through local shops; Heavenly Haven Honey in Stonehaven even labels its jars by the apiary they came from.
Use the listing details to choose how to buy, then contact the producer before travelling.
The directory does not track live stock or harvest dates. Availability, collection, delivery, prices and seasonal varieties can change, so ask the producer to confirm what is currently available.
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