When Jessica Locarnini was about nine years old she was on a school excursion and got stung by a bee. She's been fascinated by them ever since.
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We joke that perhaps in some Spider-Man, superpower kind of way, her bee sting did indeed give her special skills, for she's now Australia's only honey sommelier, able to detect different flavours in honey simply by taste.
Locarnini is coming to Canberra to host a series of masterclasses and tastings for Canberra Region Honey Weekend, from August 18-20.
![Honey Sommelier Jess Locarnini. Picture Instagram/honeymerchant Honey Sommelier Jess Locarnini. Picture Instagram/honeymerchant](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3BUUzmFAhrhLyX9rFCubPq5/33c9d2cc-834f-4d07-bbad-956b1a63f3f9.jpg/r0_136_1080_756_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Yass apiarist and owner of Nemori Honey Bees, Cristian Gorton, contacted Locarnini with the idea of running a local honey tasting and it quickly developed into an opportunity to raise awareness of the incredible local honey flavours and influences of the region.
"Just like wine, terroir plays an important part in honey's flavour," says Locarnini. "As well as the floral source, the location where the bees have been foraging and environmental conditions also play a big role in what we taste.
"This is a great opportunity for people to stop and appreciate the diverse flavours coming, literally, from their own backyards here in the Canberra region."
![Learn all about honey at the masterclass. Picture supplied Learn all about honey at the masterclass. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/MUwv8t3Wj4u7LSUBpSbqhh/717c72fb-1951-4159-8765-48e12b4d9e03.jpg/r0_290_1080_984_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Locarnini, whose day job is marketing, was working for a beehive company in Byron Bay when she came across the world of honey sommeliers.
"I've always been a foodie and I've always been really into tastings, that sensory analysis of things," she said. "But I never thought about doing it with honey."
She went to the United States and did her foundation training with Marina Marchese, one of the world's leading honey sommeliers. Post COVID, she went to Italy for advanced training, and now runs masterclasses and tastings, and works with Australian apiarists and honey makers, encouraging them to take pride in their produce via The Honey Merchant.
![Just like wine, terroir plays an important part in honey's flavour. Picture supplied Just like wine, terroir plays an important part in honey's flavour. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/MUwv8t3Wj4u7LSUBpSbqhh/61e409b2-8aaf-44aa-a974-196e8e9911c6.jpg/r0_0_1638_921_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Australia is a land of extremes and every region has its own identity," she says.
"In Tasmania Leatherwood dominates, in Queensland you have tropical and subtropical environments where there's a year-round nectar flow for their plants, in WA, the giant jarrah forests give you dark and brooding honeys."
She loves finding like-minded people wherever she goes and her go-to guy in Canberra is Cormac Farrell, head bee-keeper at Parliament House and an integral member of the region's bee community.
![All sessions run for two hours and will be complemented by a grazing board. Picture supplied All sessions run for two hours and will be complemented by a grazing board. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/MUwv8t3Wj4u7LSUBpSbqhh/81d39ed2-e39a-49af-9b65-8803ead80996.jpg/r0_34_1080_665_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Cormac knows so much about the environment and the local region, he's so passionate about it.
"I understand what I taste but then talking to people who understand the area helps connects the dots.
"This weekend is our first chance to collaborate on an event, bring that sensory experience and the local knowledge together and we're very excited."
Honeys from Canberra, Yass, Murrumbateman and Gundaroo will be used over the weekend.
![Cormac Farrell is the head beekeeper at Australian Parliament House. Picture by Elesa Kurtz. Cormac Farrell is the head beekeeper at Australian Parliament House. Picture by Elesa Kurtz.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/MUwv8t3Wj4u7LSUBpSbqhh/2a4c62ed-0ae9-4599-8e33-a9e5b2084556.jpg/r0_0_2928_1646_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
At Grazing restaurant on August 18, there'll be a tasting masterclass from 5.30pm; on August 19, the event heads into town, with the Canberra and Region Visitor Centre at Regatta point hosting sessions at 11am and 2pm; on August 20, there'll be two sessions at Murrumbateman Winery, at 11am and 2pm.
All sessions run for two hours and will be complemented by a grazing board for guests to experience honey and food pairing.
Tickets at Murrumbateman Winery and Grazing are $89 with a glass of wine included. Tickets are $85 at the Canberra and Region Visitor Centre.
Gorton says it's a great way of drawing people's attention to the premium quality and flavour of local honeys.
"But it will also showcase local beekeepers and highlight the diverse ecosystems surrounding us here in the capitol region," he said.
"I'm excited to share an experience that will bring a focus to local bees and beekeeping to the wider community through the unique flavours of our honey."
Local producers collaborating and providing honey for the weekend include Isabella 1822, 8 Frame Honey, The Naked Beekeeper, Nemori Honey Bees and Grazing. Honey will be available for purchase and tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.