Hey there,

I've turned down lots of beekeepers over the years. Good people, solid honey… but not what we were looking for.

So when a young Greek chap showed up uninvited at our Brighton warehouse with a rucksack full of jars, I was preparing to let him down gently.

I’m glad I didn’t.

His name was Thomas. He was 22, studying at the University of Brighton, and helping his family's small beekeeping business in Greece during the holidays.

He unzipped his bag and pulled out the jars. Some were nearly black. Others were golden, amber, deep red; each one hand labelled. I'd been searching for a good Greek beekeeper for years without success… and honestly, I wasn't expecting too much from someone so young.

Then I tasted his Oak honey.

Dark.

Thick.

Malty, with this incredible depth I hadn't encountered for a looong time.

"Where exactly does your family keep their hives?"

That question led to one of the most interesting answers I've ever heard from a beekeeper.

 

A Family Dotted Across Greece

Thomas' family has hives scattered across Greece... from the mountains of central Thessaly, to the Aegean coast, to the sacred slopes of Mount Athos.

Each location produces a completely different honey.

Thomas works alongside his father Giorgios, and sister Elena. 

It's very much a family affair.

They've been beekeeping for generations. But now, Thomas is the one spearheading the business. Since we started working together, he's achieved organic certification and expanded the range to include some genuinely unique varieties.

 

Seven Regions, Seven Honeys

Here's the interesting bit, because his honeys come from all over Greece:

Rentina, Macedonia — The northernmost of Thomas' hives rests here in the ancient throneland of Alexander the Great. In the village of Rentina, which sits on an old Byzantine Fort, he produces his popular  Mountain Oak Honey. 

Mt. Athos, Halkidiki — Slightly further south east on Mount Athos, A UNESCO World Heritage Site where monks have practised traditional beekeeping for over a thousand years, Thomas makes his Greek Forest Honey. Our current batch is very limited.

Mt. Kaliakouda, Thessaly — Collected from bees foraging at 1500m on the slopes of Mount Kaliakouda, this region produces Thomas’ Red Fir Honey. The hives are surrounded by untouched forest and wildflowers, far from pollution or agriculture.

Island of Evia — Thomas’ Greek Pine Honey comes from the forests of the Aegean island of Evia, north of Athens. It's deep, resinous, and has notes of cooked fig and warm spices.

Patras, The Peloponnese — The Greek Thyme Honey is mostly managed by Thomas' father Giorgios. It has a mild and grassy foretaste, breaking into fruity notes like raspberries and red currants, then a clean finish… and it has an amazing colour.

Mt. Mainalo, The Peloponnese — Oooh I love the Vanilla Fir Honey… this one is the coolest! Because it can ONLY be found in Greece; nowhere else can boast about the rare Black Fir trees, making Vanilla Fir exclusive to this region.

Laconia, The Peloponnese  — And last, but not least, the Orange Blossom Honey comes from organic orangeries in the south. Light and citrusy, and sat on top of the ancient homeland of the Spartans; cool for history lovers too!

Seven regions. 

Seven varieties. 

One honey-loving family!

 

Why Greek Honey Is Different

One thing I've noticed with all of Thomas' honeys… they're incredibly thick.

The Greek climate reduces moisture, which concentrates the natural enzymes. This may explain why his honeys consistently test with higher activity levels than honeys from other regions.

They sit solidly on the tongue for a moment before melting. It's a texture you don't find elsewhere.

But one thing’s for sure…

…the amount of variety you’ll find in Thomas’ collection is second to none.

 

From Student to Top Producer

Thomas was ambitious from the start. He knew his family's honey was exceptional. He just needed someone to give him a chance.

We've watched him grow from a 22-year-old with a rucksack to one of our most consistent beekeepers. His honeys have won at the Great Taste Awards and London Honey Awards. And he's still pushing forward, developing new honey products.

The quality was there from the start. And I was wrong to judge the book by its cover… 

…a lesson in there for all of us!

Tim

By the way:

If you're unsure which of Thomas' honeys to try first, the Mountain Oak is a good starting point for dark honey lovers. For something lighter, the Orange Blossom is *chef’s kiss* beautiful.

If you want to check out all of Thomas' top quality raw honey, then click below now to choose your favourite from the full collection.

👉 Thomas' Raw Honey Collection