HONEY'S ESSENCE
Honey is the nectar of flowering plants, collected and processed by the honeybee. Theoretically, there are as many varieties of honey on this planet as there are species of nectar producing flora. Each variety has distinct characteristics of flavor and aroma that constitute its essence. For instance, honey derived from apple blossoms tends to have a sweet floral essence whereas Manzanita honey is earthy and spicy in character.

The geographic region in which a honey is produced—its provenance—also influences a honey's essence. Soil and climate are the most effective elements of provenance. Montana clover honey may differ noticeably from coastal California clover honey because these regions' climates and soils are dissimilar.

Another affect of provenance on honey is related to the floral diversity of the region. Some regions contain vast areas of just one floral species, and from this species honeybees produce mono-floral honeys. It is more frequently the case, however, that honeybees collect nectar from numerous flora within a provenance over a given period of time. In such regions the beekeeper is more likely to harvest seasonably variable multi-floral honeys—spring, summer, and autumn representations of the floral bloom of each growing season.

It is possible to make mead from any variety of honey, from any provenance. If properly crafted (and unadulterated by other flavorings), the character of a mead will reflect the essence of the particular honey from which it was made. This is the craft of meadmaking at its most elemental level. When two or more meads are produced in an identical manner but composed of dissimilar honey varieties it is possible to compare these meads solely on the basis of the honey essence they contain. In this manner, the diversity of honey is revealed.