I just don’t get meads, what beers do you know that are near 20%? From a bottle at Vintage Estates, such a nice place; 6 - 2oz samples of mead for $15, tax included. Perhaps a slight haze on an otherwise plae lager appearance. Smell of honey of course. Quite strong initial flavors, alky wise. Pleasant burn abd a little fun, for a mead. Winelike at times. thick and quite viscous. Not bad overall. A slight bitter linger on the finish which is unexpected.

Glass from the bottle at Sunset Grill on 8/13/07, alongside the Viking Blod, South African Chile and Apis Jadwiga
Deep burnished-copper, still, of course, with huge, viscous legs and a medium-high to high clarity.
Powerful, sweet, port-sherry nose, with raisins, rich honey, almonds, nuts, marzipan, caramel and light prunes all combining to give the typical strong, thick mead experience. There really isn’t even much use in splitting my comments in to aroma and flavor as it’s, more or less, one and the same. It overpowers you with sweetness, not even all that complex, and then just finishes you off with alcohol. I can handle not that complex, but when the alcohol is just rampant, fairly raw and sharp, I just don’t see the point and fail to see how there can be much enjoyment garnered. Compared to this, Apis Jadwiga is a kolsch! I will say it dosent help that my preference tends for dry things, as this is about as sweet a drink as I can imagine. But I can appreciate a port or sherry, I think it’s just the overwhelmingly raisiny-sugary simplicity of this one, with the noxious alcohol, that really kills the experience for me. Syrupy, thick, viscous mouthfeel.