Level 1 - Introduction Class in Honey Sensory Analysis

11 - 14 March, 2027

Höllviken, Sweden

An intensive four-day training program focused on developing skills in honey sensory analysis.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

  • Train in honey sensory analysis techniques and in the recognition of aromas and flavors

  • Become familiar with important varieties of Italian honey, their botanical origins, and their classifications

  • Understand conditions such as crystallization, natural properties, and defects of honey

  • Learn about European legislation regarding honey categories, quality, labeling, and marketing

  • Learn how to describe and evaluate honey quality using methodological tools of sensory analysis

  • Explore current developments in research and laboratory methods for honey analysis.

Please find more details about the course below:

  • Theory

    • Principles of Sensory Analysis

    • Physiology & Perception

    • Honey Sources

    • Tasting Technique

    • Honey & Health

    • Crystallisation

    • Defective honey

    • Law & Labelling

    • Laboratory Characterisation

    Practical

    • An introduction to Sensory experience

    • Aroma classes

    • Using Sensory Analysis to explore Italian Monofloral Honeys

    • Practice with Honey Sensory Analysis

As a trained honey sensory analyst you will be able to recognize, describe, evaluate, and communicate the origin, characteristics, and quality of honey in a unified and systematic way.

The Honey Sensory Analysis Education Level 1 is addressed to:

  • Beekeepers/honey producers

  • Honey trade networks and distributors

  • Chefs and other people working in gastronomy

  • Professionals from the artisan food sector and agritourism sector

  • Retail store professionals

  • Educators and researchers in relevant fields

  • Journalists, food bloggers, and agri-food communication professionals

Note: The training activity will be conducted in English. We have Scandinavian-speaking CREA-certified honey sommeliers present throughout the whole course, ready to assist and support and also relate any sensory experiences to the kind of honey varietals that we are used to in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Åland.

Venue

The course takes place at Höllviknäs, https://hollviksnas.nu, in beautiful Höllviken, situated on the coast south of Malmö in Sweden.

From Malmö Central Train Station, you may take the bus, Skånetrafiken bus 15, which stops right outside Höllviksnäs Conference Centre. The bus stop is called Höllviksstrand.

The nearest airport is Copenhagen Airport, approximately a 30-minute drive from Höllviksnäs. Trains run from Copenhagen Airport to Malmö Hyllie every 15 minutes; from there, passengers change to Skånetrafiken bus 300 and 35 minutes later you will arrive at the Höllviksstrand stop, just across the road from Höllviksnäs Conference Centre.

Those travelling by car enjoy free parking on site, and there are several charging points nearby. Should anyone wish to travel with their own boat, there are berths for hire in the Falsterbo Canal small boat harbour, an easy walk of less than 300 metres from the venue.

Participation fee

 The participation fee for the Honey Sensory Analysis Level 1 Education is 760 EUR plus VAT of 25 % (totaling 950 EUR. We offer an Early Bird price of 672 EUR plus 25 % VAT (totaling 840 EUR) until August 28th, 2026.

To secure your place, a deposit of EUR 200 (including VAT) is required at the time of online booking. The remaining balance of EUR 750 (including VAT) is due by January 11, 2027.

  • Deposit: €200 (Paid online at booking)

  • Final Payment: 640 EUR (If booked before August 28)

Please note that business owners and corporate participants are generally eligible to reclaim this VAT from the Swedish Tax Authority (Skatteverket) using the EU VAT refund electronic mechanism: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/taxation/vat/vat-directive/vat-refunds_en

  • Training materials and notes, honey samples for tasting and analysis, and cooked lunches at the Höllviksnäs restaurant all four days. Not included: transportation to and from Höllviken, Sweden and accommodation. However, Höllviksnäs has put together an attractive package for participants to Level 1.

  • The Course fee includes a cooked lunch every course day. You also have the opportunity to stay at the same premises at Höllviksnäs, which is beautifully located just on the coast. Höllviksnäs has an indoor pool and sauna, free to use by all guests.

    Accommodation and half-board (breakfast buffet, cooked lunch, and two-course dinner) for participants:

    • 4 nights in a single room with own bathroom, 4 buffet breakfasts, and 3 two-course dinners

    • Check-in: Wednesday, March 10, 2027 (after 3 PM). Check-out: Sunday, March 14, 2027.

    • Available to everyone, booked via Nordic Honey Academy, paid directly to Höllviksnäs upon arrival.

    • Current Rate: 6,580 SEK including 12% VAT (5,875 SEK net)

      Please Note: The hotel reserves the right to make a minor price adjustment for 2027 bookings, capped at a maximum of 5%.

There are plenty of alternative accommodations in the area (you may explore staying in Höllviken, Skanör, Malmö, or Trelleborg. Copenhagen is feasible, but please allocate 1.5 hours for transit if you choose to stay in Copenhagen city centre).

In order to ensure the smooth conduct of the training program, the number of participants is strictly limited, in compliance with the Italian National Register conditions.

To secure your place:

Complete your booking and pay the deposit directly on our website here: https://nordichoneyacademy.as.me/level-1 or simply continue scrolling to find the same booking form right below.

Participation registrations & enquiries: Please do not hesitate to contact Viktoria Bassani at viktoria@nordichoneyacademy.com or +46 706 24 9672.

Apply code EARLYBIRD to save 110 EUR

Meet the instructors

Dr Gian Luigi Marcazzan

Instructor

Dr Gian Luigi Marcazzan is the leader of the Honey Sensory group within the International Honey Commission and the President of the Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey. He has been a reseacher and technical manager for honey quality control by chemical and sensory analysis at the Agricultural Research council in Bologna for 27 years. Gian Luigi has served as a panel leader for the International honey competition Biol Miel

Instructor

Raffaele Dall’Olio

Raffaele Dall’Olio is a beekeeper and animal biologist with a master’s degree in honey bee pathogen diagnostics, skilled in Instrumental insemination of honey bee queens. He has more than 10 years experience in honey bee research and teaching focussing on genetic conservation of honey bee races, detection of pathogens and viruses and improving quality in beekeeping products. He’s a member of the international research networks COLOSS and RNSBB. Raffaele has beefarming experience with 150 hives in Tuscany, queen rearing, and Manuka honey in New Zealand. He is an internationally sought after speaker with talks at Apimondia and EurBee European Congress of Apidology. Since 2005 he has been practicing and teaching Honey Tasting as a panel leader for the Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey.

What a few previous partipants say about Level 1:

“This course is a real gateway to the world of honey. Honey Sensory Analysis Level 1 gave me the tools to understand, analyse and describe honey in a whole new way. I highly recommend it to both beekeepers and culinary creators who wish to deepen their knowledge and discover the fantastic diversity of honey – its aroma, flavour and texture that are linked to specific places and times of year.”

— Anna-Karin Johansson, BEEHappy

“Taking the Level One Honey Sensory Course in Bologna with Gian Luigi Marcazzan and Raffaele Dall'Olio was one of the most important decisions I have ever made. I arrived with a genuine interest in food and beverages, but very limited knowledge of honey. What I found was much more than a course—it opened the door to an entirely new world.

As a beekeeper, the course deepened my respect for the craft behind every jar of honey and my understanding of the intricate relationship between bees, flowers, landscapes, and biodiversity. I can wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone who wants to discover the fascinating world of honey through world-class expertise and passionate teaching.”

— Eva Backen

Book your spot

CREA Level 1 - Introduction Class in Honey Sensory Analysis

Apply code EARLYBIRD to save 110 EUR

  • Honeys tasted will include (but are not limited to):

    • Citrus (Citrus spp.)

    • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

    • Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

    • Fir & Spruce Honeydew

    • French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium)

    • Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.)

    • Metcalfa Honeydew (Metcalfa pruinosa)

    • Lime (Tilia spp.)

    • Rapeseed (Brassica napus)

    • Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)

    • Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)

    • Sunflower (Helianthus annus)

    • Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)

    • Thistle (Galactites tomentosa)

    • Thyme (Thymus capitatus)

    • Tree Heather (Erica arborea)

  • In Italy, there is a long tradition of honey sensory analysis. The first honey sensory analysis course was held in 1979. In 1988 an Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey was founded, and it was officially recognised by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture in 1999.

    The Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey is the body that ensures the validity of qualitative assessment and opinion on the botanical origin of honey provided through sensory analysis. The Register guarantees an adequate and uniform professional base for the members and their qualification to be part of official tasting groups.

    In order to be recognised (certified) by the National Register, the honey sensory courses must match specific requisites established by and be reported in the Register’s regulation. Teachers should belong to the “teacher body” of the register.

    The Register officially validates the international classes we provide in English. In these classes, we also taste honey from all over the world brought by the attendees.

  • To enrol as a honey sensory expert for the Italian National Register, you need to complete the three stages and pass the final exam (the exam is part of the third and last course). You will receive a certificate for each Stage you complete to advance to the next stage. You can repeat any stage as many times as you want until you feel confident enough to advance to the next Stage; each level teaches different skills.

  • Participants who successfully complete Level 1 will have the opportunity to continue their training with Level 2 – Advanced. You can repeat any stage as many times as you want until you feel confident enough to advance to the next Stage; each level teaches different skills. Subsequently, successful graduates of Level 2 will have the opportunity to take part in the Level 3 Exams in Bologna, Italy. Successful completion leads to inclusion in the Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey.