A TRADITIONAL mead in Monmouthshire has scooped a Great Taste Golden Fork award.

The Great Taste Golden Fork trophy for Wales has been awarded to Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co. from Monmouthshire, for its Wye Valley Meadery Traditional Mead.

Kit Newell, co-founder of Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co, said: “It is a huge honour to be awarded the Golden Fork, especially given the amazing quality of food and drink represented by the entries to the awards.

“This recognition is testament to the passion and dedication of our small team as we work together to craft unique meads which tell the story of our beautiful region, its biodiversity and the quality of the honey it provides."

Described as a “gorgeous pale-yellow mead”, the Traditional Mead is crafted in the  Wye Valley in the Welsh Borders by a small, family run company that takes the world’s oldest form of alcohol and gives it a modern twist.

Wales Farmer: Hive Mind Wye Valley Traditional Mead

It impressed the Great Taste judges with its “glorious blossom aroma with woody, earthy elements and a citrus sourness, hinting of fermentation” at every stage of the blind-tasted judging process across 89 days in Dorset and London.

Great Taste’s prestigious judging panel is made up of more than 500 food and drink professionals. This experienced panel, each with trusted palates, have together tasted and re-judged the three-star winning products to determine the Golden Fork winners, as well as the Great Taste Supreme Champion of 2023.

The Great Taste Golden Fork from Wales was sponsored by Food & Drink Wales. Also nominated this year were the Great Taste 3-star Pedigree, Organic, Pasture-fed Hogget Leg from Black Welsh Lamb based in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, and Cold Pressed Sunflower Dressing Oil from Mountain Produce based in Wrexham.

The full list of this year’s winners can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk