Sensory properties

Visual appearance

Deep brown colour with dark veins.

Aroma

Resinous and aromatic.

Flavour

Bitter, typical of propolis, with a spicy nose.

Composition

30% propolis and 70% organic ethyl alcohol.

Collection method

The propolis is collected using a propolis trap. This involves opening a small gap in one side of the hive, which the bees then try to close with propolis.

Geographical origin

The propolis is collected wholly in the Serra de Tramuntana mountains natural area, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Serra de Tramuntana mountains follow the north-east coast of Mallorca for 90 km and are a natural landscape of great scenic beauty and enormous environmental value. Beautiful valleys mix with rugged terrain, limestone massifs, tortuous torrents and a unique feature: its meeting with the Mediterranean Sea along its whole length.

Botanical origin

The biological and geographical wealth of the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, marked out by the presence of most of the endemic, rare or relict species of the island of Mallorca is based on its ecological, geological and climatic peculiarities.

The vegetation of interest for producing propolis includes holm oaks (Quercus ilex) and pines (Pinus halepensis), as well as shrubs such as many flowered heath (Erica multiflora), white-leaved rock rose (Cistus albidus) and Montpelier cistus (Cistus monspeliensis) among others. Its polyphenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity vary according to its botanical origin and have been determined using spectrophotometric methods with the following results: the polyphenol content is 123.9 mgG/g, the flavonoid content is 37.6 mgQ/g and the antioxidant capacity is 1.12 mg/ml.