Miel de Málaga

Miel de Málaga is a Spanish honey with a protected designation of origin (PDO) from the province of Málaga in Andalusia. It comes in seven nectar kinds and one honeydew: single-flower chestnut, rosemary, thyme, avocado, orange blossom and eucalyptus, plus multifloral and forest honeydew.

Each single-flower type has a pollen minimum: chestnut and eucalyptus 70 %, avocado 20 %, thyme and orange blossom 15 %, rosemary 10 %. Moisture is below 18.5 % and HMF below 26 mg/kg. Honeydew honey comes mainly from the excretions of plant-sucking insects (Hemiptera) on living parts of plants.

The province lies at a crossroads of Atlantic, Mediterranean and African influences near the Strait of Gibraltar. It has four vegetation zones, and 70 % of apiaries stand in protected areas, in the Sierra de las Nieves, Serranía de Ronda and Axarquía, as well as the Guadalhorce valley. Beekeeping here is documented for almost six centuries. Every step, including packing, takes place in the province.

Chestnut and avocado honey do not crystallise, rosemary crystallises quickly, orange blossom and honeydew slowly. Thyme honey has a very floral aroma with a phenolic note, eucalyptus a fruity one with damp wood.

Why this matters to you: the kind is on the label, and it decides what the jar looks like over time. For the basics see Crystallisation of honey and the Honey page.