You’re the bee’s knees, Carol! Ackergill beekeeper crowned Britain’s ‘Honey Hero’
You’re the bee’s knees, Carol! Ackergill beekeeper crowned Britain’s ‘Honey Hero’
Carol, the winning beekeeper and owner of Scottish Honey, said: ”I am truly delighted and stunned at the same time.
“To be named as Britain’s finest small-scale honey producer following judgement by the honey experts from the BBKA and Nigella Lawson too, is an amazing feeling.”
Since the competition was announced in May, over 100 back garden beekeepers and honey producers from across Britain swarmed to enter, for the chance to have their honey taste-tested by Nigella Lawson and the expert BBKA panel – and to get their honey stocked on Ocado.com. After rigorous rounds of judging, Carol was voted Britain’s Honey Hero.
Having had a fascination with bees and beekeeping since a young age, Carol now tends six hives in Caithness, producing honey for friends and family, as well as local farm shops and country shows. Beekeeping is a hobby for Carol, alongside her day job as a project manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise and she produces around 100 jars per year.
Nigella Lawson said: “It has been a real honour to be part of the judging panel for this competition; an illuminating learning experience and a delicious process from start to finish.
“I’m in thrall to the gloriousness of British honey, and my Honeyed Tarte Tatin celebrates that. Being part of this competition has only amplified my admiration for the work of British Beekeepers, and I congratulate Carol Gunn with greedy gratitude for her winning entry.”
Experts from the BBKA and Ocado assessed all the qualifying entries against criteria including aroma, appearance, and flavour complexity. Once the entries were shortlisted, Nigella taste-tested the finalists, to help decide the winner.
The Retail Times said that Carol’s ‘Scottish Honey’ stood out for its silky texture and deep, rich floral notes. As the winner, she receives a prize of £2000 and gets an opportunity to have her honey listed on Ocado.com, alongside esteemed British honey producers such as M&S and Daylesford Organic, as well as small producers like Black Bee Honey, Truffle Hunter and Scottish Bee Company.
