Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey 400g

Description

Leatherwood Honey

Eucryphia Lucida, commonly known as leatherwood is a species of trees or large shrubs endemic to forests of western Tasmania. An attractive plant utilized in both the horticulture and apiculture industries

Leatherwood honey is uniquely flavoured honey of the highest quality, which is only produced in Tasmania. The leatherwood tree traces back to the time of Gondwanaland. This pure honey is produced from wilderness areas many listed as World Heritage Areas bringing to you one of the finest quality products in the world.

Leatherwood honey – a Tasmanian treasure.

Monofloral honeys are derived predominantly from a single plant species, and can therefore be specific to an area or region, with unique and special qualities. Australia is noted for the production of several varieties of eucalypt honeys, including Blue Gum, Ironbark, Jarrah, Messmate and Stringybark. These tend to be characterised by a strong flavour with distinctive medicinal accents. Manuka honey, from the Manuka Myrtle (Leptospermum scoparium) has become chiefly associated with New Zealand, although this plant is also indigenous to Australia. It is valued for its antibacterial properties, and also contains antioxidants that can boost vitality and immunity.

One of the most highly-prized monofloral honeys originates from our own island state. Hidden in the moist understorey of Tasmania’s rainforest wilderness is an endemic species of plant that produces honey with an extraordinary, complex, spicy aroma and taste that has been hailed by connoisseurs around the globe. The Leatherwood (Eucryphia Lucida) is a small tree that normally grows to around 10 metres in height and is common only in the World Heritage forests of Tasmania’s west. Fragrant, white, rose-like flowers appear in spring and summer, followed by leathery capsules.

Although found in rugged, inaccessible country, the Leatherwood forests are nevertheless threatened by logging; Tasmanian beekeepers have lobbied the government to protect this irreplaceable resource. Leatherwood trees are slow to mature, and may not be capable of producing nectar for 70 years or more. Roads are almost nonexistent in these remote areas, and vital access for beekeepers is provided by the West Coast Wilderness railway, constructed more than 100 years ago.

Leatherwood honey has also been shown to contain important antioxidants and trace elements. Due to the isolated and difficult terrain, annual production is very limited. The honey is commonly sold raw, with minimal processing, in order to retain the very essence of the pristine Tasmanian rainforest. From ancient forests that are a relict of mystical Gondwanaland, devotees maintain that Leatherwood honey retains a purity that is unsurpassed!