I was recently in Ireland...County Waterford and County Cork. My grocery store and farm market experience there somewhat parallels what Bob Darrell says, though I did find honey labeled as Pure Irish in both places, provided by several beekeepers, and priced a bit less than airfare, in liquid, comb and cremed forms. However, I was able to contact many Irish beekeepers  because of the nature of my trip, and they seemed to have a bounty, but not for sale to mass markets, but rather on an individual basis, but I only sampled a few outlets so that may not be the case. The predominant wildflower blend was Hawthorn  and blackberry, growing mostly in the hedges lining the roads there, and then rapeseed, grown as a crop. The taste was different than the canola honey I've tasted here...it was lighter, with a light, mild and very pleasant aftertaste...and interesting flavor I'd not experienced before (canola honey here, in my experience is heavier, with an almost oily aftertaste, not unpleasant, but not as good as the Irish). The wildflower was exceptional, light, mild, a bit fruity and with and apple-like finish. The pure Irish honey found in the grocery store was essentially the same, though I don't know the processing so that may have altered it a bit.

Kim Flottum
Editor, Bee Culture Magazine

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