Google "wine tasting descriptors" and you will find a long listof terms
ranging from accessible and acidic to zesty and zippy.
Cheesy, crisp, dry, fat,fruity, full, mellow, nose, plummy, polished,
robust, sassy, sweet, tart, undertone - just a few of the common adjectives.
Are there equivalents for honey? I have always disagreed with the
marketing of blended honey in the US, where light color, producing a pseudo-clover
is considered to be the objective - with any honey with color downgraded.
As a speaker, I'm often asked to judge local honey, and I always refuse.
I may be objective (in that I don't necessarily know the producers), but
I'm strongly biased against any system of judging honey where TASTE is not a
criteria, much less the primary criteria.
Europe, New Zealand, other countries market honey by varietal type and/or
region; and in general, the more unusual or rare (i.e., honeydew honey,
manuka honey), the higher the price.
Varietals and alternative packaging (e.g., chunk honey) are beginning to
show up in the US at local markets.
However, to truly break away from the US notion that clear, white
(presumably sugary sweet) honey is better, I'd like to be able to describe and
market honey just like the wine industry. But, I lack the vocabulary.
There are some obvious terms that are currently used in terms of clarity,
color, moisture content - but what are appropriate descriptors for TASTE,
olfactory differences, maybe even consistency, spreadability, etc.?
Is there a Glossary of Terms? If so, where can one find it?
Thanks
Jerry
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm
|