Artisan Raw Certified Organic Greek Forest Honey - 5kg

Forest Honey from the Agrafa Mountains, Greece – Rich in Fir, Chestnut & Oak with some Beech and Forest Flowers Giving Woodland Depth Back Story When Thomas first surveyed the forested slopes near Kastania in the Agrafa mountains, what convinced him that it was a good place was the diversity of forage for the bees: chestnut, fir, beech and oak, with bramble and abundant forest flowers. He placed a few test hives there last year; the honey was delicious and the bees were very happy with the place, so this is his first full harvest from the area. Claire, visiting last spring, described it as “trees and more trees… as far as the eye can see… absolutely beautiful and green.” I was there in the early Spring this year (2025) when Thomas was telling me of his plans to increase the number of hives here in this wilderness place. Summary This is a dark, full-bodied raw honey gathered from the dense forests on the lower slopes of the Agrafa mountains in central Greece. The bees forage on sweet chestnut blossom, fir, beech, oak, brambles, and a wealth of forest flowers, thriving between 700 and 900 metres above sea level. The result is a honey with a bold, slightly tannic edge from the chestnut, balanced by floral sweetness and a mineral freshness from the mountain environment. Product Highlights 100% Raw, unpasteurised honey Coarse-filtered to remove hive debris whilst preserving pollen & enzymes Cold-pressed – never heat-treated From pristine forests on the lower slopes of the Agrafa mountains, Greece Dark, complex flavour with floral and woody notes From Thomas, our original and well trusted Greek beekeeper Harvested at ~800m altitude for a clean, mountain character Nectar sources include chestnut, fir, beech, oak, bramble, and forest flowers Aroma Woody and resinous from the fir, with warm nutty hints from the chestnut, rounded by beech and lifted by forest floral notes. Flavour Rich and layered: chestnut gives a gentle bitterness and depth, lifted by floral sweetness from brambles and forest flowers, with a smooth, rounded backdrop from beech and oak. A long, slightly herbal finish makes this a honey to savour slowly. Colour Deep amber to dark brown, depending on the batch, with a translucent glow when held to the light. Please note: Due to the nature of the containers that are used for 5kg sizes it is not possible for us to correctly determine if the ‘state’ of the honey is runny or crystallised or even part crystallised. If crystallisation has occurred this is simply a natural process of natural honey. Please see below for further details on crystallisation. Origin From the forested uplands of the Agrafa mountains near Kastania in central Greece. These remote mountain slopes are a mosaic of mature woodland, including chestnut, fir, beech, and oak, enriched with a variety of forest flowers, and protected under Natura 2000 for their rich biodiversity. Common Uses Swirl into a balsamic reduction for drizzling over grilled vegetables or burrata Pair with aged cheeses like Comté, Gruyère, or Kefalotyri for a savoury-sweet contrast Blend into a walnut and honey dressing for bitter leaf salads Use as a glaze for baked pears or figs with a sprinkle of cinnamon Drizzle over roasted sweet potatoes with a pinch of smoked paprika 👤 Producer Story Thomas, a passionate beekeeper in central Greece, works with his father Giorgios and sister Elena. They combine traditional methods with modern practices to ensure bee health and quality honey. The family produces Greek honeys like mountain oak, red fir, vanilla fir, wild thyme, pine, and orange — and now, this rich forest honey from the Agrafa mountains. 🧊 How to store your honey To preserve its natural potency, store the honey in a cool, dark place. Light and heat degrade the enzymes that contribute to antibacterial activity. Keeping it away from light and high temps helps maintain its flavour, texture, and active properties. 🍯 Why Raw Honey is Different from Processed Honey Raw honey comes from the hive to the jar with minimal interference. Most supermarket honey is processed to look attractive—drained of pollen, heated, and blended. Raw honey varies from batch to batch because it’s not factory-processed or heated. It changes with season, climate, and bee forage. 🌀 Crystallisation Raw honey crystallises naturally (so we cannot accept returns on crystallised honey). We indicate on the site whether the honey is runny or crystallised, but this may change. If you want runny honey and it has crystallised, it's easy to return it to runny. Check our Runny Honey Guide or read more on crystallisation. 🏪 About Us At The Raw Honey Shop, we believe honey should be RAW, unpasteurised, and 100% natural. Since 2008, we've introduced customers to pure, all-natural honey. Our catalogue includes over 30 raw and organic varieties. Thank you for visiting. We look forward to sharing a world of raw, pure, and truly wonderful honey—the way the bees intended it! Disclaimer Please note we cannot accept returns on this honey due to its size. The tin has travelled all the way from Greece so small dents to the tin will often appear. If your tub or tin arrives slightly damaged and leaking, we are happy to give you a partial refund on the amount of honey you feel has been lost. Unfortunately, we cannot replace whole tins or tubs unless more then 50% of the honey has been lost. We would then request you send us pictures so that we can assess the damage and agree the replacement.