At a glance
Alpine clover honey
Trifolium alpinum · regalitzia
Colour
Light amberup to 36 mm Pfund
Aroma
Faint floral aromashort-lived
Taste
Sweetwithout other marked tastes
Crystallisation
Slowoften stays liquid
Season
Summerthe brief alpine summer
Region
Pyrenean pasturesabove 1,800 m
Pollen reference
35%a substantial pollen contribution
HMF
up to 40 mg/kggeneral legal limit; the guide reports 50
The Aranese name regalitzia refers to the liquorice-like taste of the plant’s root. The honey from these high pastures is much milder.
Alpine clover carpets short, dense grassland high in the Pyrenees. Snow can linger into June, and the flowers open during the short summer, often in July. The plant provides valuable grazing and an important nectar flow where floral resources are limited.
Reading and tasting alpine clover honey
This Spanish-language field guide compares botanical origin, tasting and laboratory findings. Use the profile together with the traceability of the lot.
Compare the profile with the origin
- Record the name used and the origin of the lot.
- Distinguish the guide values from the measured values.
An HMF distinction in three Pyrenean profiles
For alpine clover, rhododendron and high mountain honey the Iberian guide reports HMF up to 50 mg/kg, compared with 40 for its other profiles. For ordinary Spanish honey in these categories the legal limit remains 40 mg/kg. The guide’s figures give no separate commercial exemption for a mountain harvest.
HMF, hydroxymethylfurfural, increases with heat and time in storage. Interpret its value in light of the batch history and the applicable standard.
Colour
Light amber, with a maximum of 36 mm Pfund. That precise value distinguishes the profile from other pale honeys for which the guide gives 35 or 40.
Alpine clover honey on the Pfund scale
In the three palest bands. On-screen colours give an approximate visual guide. A laboratory measures the actual value.
Aroma, taste and texture
Sensory profile
Our interpretation of the descriptions in the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas. Like acacia and albaida, this is one of the guide’s more delicate profiles.
Aroma
The aroma is floral, delicate and short-lived. This is one of the quieter high-pasture honeys on the nose.
Taste
The profile describes straightforward sweetness with little marked acidity, bitterness or saltiness.
Crystallisation
Crystallisation is generally slow, as in the nearby rhododendron flow. The honey can remain liquid for some time.
Interpreting the laboratory profile
| Parameter | Reference in the guide | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | up to 36 mm Pfund | Light amber. This particular upper limit is specific to the guide’s alpine clover profile. |
| Moisture | up to 18% | Fermentation risk increases above the guide value. The general EU limit for blossom honey is 20%. |
| Fructose and glucose combined | at least 60% | A characteristic of blossom honey. This figure on its own cannot exclude added syrup. |
| Sucrose | up to 5% | One of the sugars reported in the analysis. |
| Electrical conductivity | up to 0.40 mS/cm | Low, consistent with pasture forage and little honeydew. |
| Free acidity | up to 50 meq/kg | Can rise with fermentation or extended storage. |
| HMF | up to 50 mg/kg in the guide | The guide uses the same figure for rhododendron and high mountain honey. The legal limit is separate: for ordinary Spanish honey in these categories it remains 40 mg/kg. |
| Diastase activity | at least 8 Schade units | Indicator of enzyme activity, which can decline with heat. |
| Trifolium alpinum pollen | at least 35% | The plant contributes appreciable pollen. The percentage refers to the pollen counted. |
Reference ranges from the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas, fourth edition (2023). These characterise the variety. Spanish statutory limits are set by Royal Decree 1049/2003 as amended by Royal Decree 68/2025, including a general maximum of 20% moisture and 40 mg/kg HMF, subject to the exceptions in the legislation.
Other pollen in alpine clover honey
- Daisy family (Asteraceae)
- Alpenrose (neret)
- Other legumes
- Pollen carried over from earlier flows
Growing areas and harvest season
The guide places the summer flow in subalpine Pyrenean pastures above 1,800 metres. Beekeepers move colonies up after the snow retreats. The harvest window may last only a few weeks before conditions change again.
Alpine clover honey flow
FloweringFlowering and harvest
The guide places the main harvest in summer. The subalpine growing season is short. Flowering and harvest chiefly fall in July and August.
How to recognise alpine clover honey
- 1Look for a very pale colour. Up to 36 mm Pfund. A strong amber colour falls outside this profile.
- 2Expect a mild aroma. Faint floral aroma with little persistence.
- 3Taste for clean sweetness. Little marked acidity, bitterness or saltiness.
- 4Expect slow crystallisation. The jar can remain liquid for a long time.
- 5Check the altitude of the forage. The guide identifies subalpine grassland above 1,800 metres. Compare the location of the apiary with the surrounding forage.
For a broader view, see how to assess honey quality and our guide to Spanish honey labelling requirements.
Composition and health claims
The plant name refers to the root. The honey is described as sweet, with no characteristic liquorice flavour. The name also gives no basis for a health claim about the honey.
These characteristics matter when tasting or using the honey.
- Its restrained floral aroma makes it one of the milder honeys in the guide.
- The profile is associated with subalpine pasture above 1,800 metres.
- The guide’s maximum conductivity is 0.40 mS/cm, consistent with a relatively low mineral content.
- Its mild flavour works with dairy desserts, delicate baking and herbal tea.
Who should take particular care?
Children under 12 months. Do not give honey to infants under one year. It can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum that may cause infant botulism. This applies to all types of honey.
Diabetes. honey is a source of sugars. This also applies to natural and monofloral honeys when planning a diet.
Known allergy. Anyone with a diagnosed allergy to honey or bee products should consult their clinician if unsure what is safe for them.
Frequently asked questions
What does regalitzia mean?
It is a local Aranese name for Trifolium alpinum, referring to the liquorice-like taste of the root. The honey itself has a mild, sweet taste. The root’s flavour is not a descriptor for the honey.
Does alpine clover honey have a higher legal HMF limit?
No. The guide gives up to 50 mg/kg for three high Pyrenean profiles, alpine clover, rhododendron and high mountain honey. The general legal limit for ordinary Spanish honey in these categories remains 40 mg/kg.
What does alpine clover honey taste like?
Its taste is simply sweet, with a faint floral aroma that fades quickly. It is one of the guide’s mildest profiles, alongside acacia and albaida.
Where does it come from?
The guide describes subalpine pasture in the Pyrenees above 1,800 metres. The summer flow begins after snowmelt and finishes before autumn conditions return.
Who should take particular care?
Never give honey to a baby under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. People with diabetes should count its sugars in their diet. Anyone with a diagnosed allergy to hive products should seek individual medical advice.
Where to buy alpine clover honey
We do not currently stock alpine clover honey. For this limited high-mountain harvest, ask beekeepers working the Pyrenees. For a pale, mild Spanish honey from our range, see raw rosemary honey.
Sources
The reference ranges come from the fourth edition (June 2023) of the Guía de mieles monoflorales ibéricas by J. Orantes, F. Gonell, C. Torres and A. Gómez-Pajuelo, published by Laboratorios Apinevada and Pajuelo Consultores Apícolas. Their work draws on a series reaching back to 1980 and more than 3,600 analyses a year across the two laboratories. The printed guide in Spanish is available in our shop.
Explore our series on Iberian honeys. The other two Pyrenean profiles associated with forage above 1,800 metres are rhododendron honey and high mountain honey.
