Ibizan Honey is the food produced by bees from the nectar of the flowers of certain plants in Ibiza that the bees release, process, combine with certain substances that they themselves produce, deposit, dehydrate, store and mature in the cells of the combs in their hives.

Ibizan Honey is multi-floral and features a spectrum of pollen from the wild botanical species of Ibiza, mainly composed of the Fabaceae, Boraginaceae and Cistaceae families.

The most noteworthy of the botanical species are the following: Lotus sp (trefoil) and Cistus-Helianthemum sp (steppe or rockrose) excluding Cistus ladanifer. Moreover, more than 80% of the different types of honey contain Echium sp (viper´s bugloss).

Ibizan honey harvested in spring is supplemented with pollen from Psoralea bituminosa L. (smelly clover) and other shrubby and brassica fabaceae that flower at this time, while the honey harvested in autumn is supplemented with pollen from Ceratonia siliqua (carob) and Erica multiflora (heather).

The organoleptic characteristics of this honey are an amber colour (from very light to dark), a clean appearance and no trace of impurities. It has a medium-intensity, floral, fresh aroma with possible camphor notes. It has a medium to high viscosity and a sweet flavour, with possible traces of acid notes and a refreshing sensation.

Association with the geographical environment

The association is based on the exceptional quality of Ibizan Honey, attributable to the geographical environment and the human factor. On the one hand, the geographical environment is characterised by geoclimatic conditions that determine the presence and coincidence of the flowering of fabaceae, boraginaceae and cistaceae. On the other hand, the human factor has an impact on the selection of bees, the choice of the ideal environment for their hives, the practice of beekeeping, the choice of the ideal time to extract the honey and how to handle it.

The specific nature of Ibizan Honey arises directly from the flora, an intrinsic natural factor of the island. The simultaneous and abundant presence of pollen from the following botanical species in Ibiza: Echium sp (viper´s bugloss), Lotus sp (trefoil) and Cistus-Helianthemum sp. (excluding Cistus ladanifer lang="en-US">) does not occur anywhere else in Spain (Gomez Pajuelo, A., 2021).

The nectar-bearing plant species that define the nature of Ibizan Honey are: mainly Echium sp (honeysuckle), the most noteworthy of which are Echium plantagineum and Lotus sp (trefoil), mainly Lotus creticus. These plants provide a fresh and floral aroma.

Cistus-Helianthemum sp steppes, excluding Cistus ladanifer, are non-nectar-bearing plants primarily responsible for the characteristic amber colour of the honey.

The characteristics of the nectar of the wild flora of Ibiza affect the sugar profile of Ibizan Honey.

The human factor clearly conditions the characteristics of the quality of Ibizan Honey: due to the selection of the bees, the ideal location for the hives, the specific skills of Ibiza´s beekeepers in the removal of bees from the hive and the expertise involved in knowing the ideal time to extract the honey.

We should point out that the exceptional quality of Ibizan Honey, together with the age-old methods of production associated with the history of the island, have resulted in this food gaining considerable prestige.

To conclude, the reputation of Ibizan Honey arises from the product´s organoleptic properties and chemical composition: the result of interaction with the local wild flora and the centuries-old experience of Ibiza´s beekeepers.

Labelling

The label on each container must specify:

1. The name "Ibizan Honey" or "Honey from Ibiza"

2. The phrase ”Protected Designation of Origin”.

3. A unique code to facilitate controlling the traceability of the product.

4. The year in which the honey was harvested.

Optionally, the harvest season can be placed on the label, with the following conditions:

- Spring honey or spring meadow honey: honey harvested between the months of March and May.

- Summer honey: honey harvested between the months of June and August.

- Autumn honey: honey harvested between the months of October and December.