Apis Póltorak Jadwiga

Brewed by Spółdzielnia Pszczelarska Apis
Style: Mead
Lublin, Poland

I finely found a bottle of this, and in Arizona no less. This mead is a brilliantly dark, ruby color. The aroma is quite intoxicating, it is rich and satisfying. There are heavy aromatic notes of alcohol, brandy, and a certain rich meatiness to this mead that is a note of oxidation character (definitely in a good way though). Honey notes are definitely here as well, but the age of this mead has definitely aged the sharp notes that are present in fresh honey. Really the aroma is quite enticing, and despite the evident alcohol notes this is worth nosing for quite some time, it has been 5 minutes and I have yet to taste this.

This is quite sweet up front, but not as thickly sweet as I was expecting. The finish is quite interesting, there is a certain long note here that is slightly vegetal, but in a good way actually. There is still quite a bit of sweetness here but it is well balanced with the rest of the mead. This mead has notes of raisins, hints of cherries, and of course a nice, slightly astringent, and a nicely floral, nectar character (though I can’t tell if this is from the rose or the honey). This is really quite nice, and is not as sweet and cloying as I thought it would be, it is really quite well balanced for a strong aged mead.

<font size=-4>Purchased: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Tucson, AZ<font size=-1>

Glass at Hopleaf. Pour was a clear golden color with no head. It had a not-too-thick syrupy consistency (kind of like warm maple syrup). Aroma was of sweet alcohol, honey, vanilla, oak, and some faint floral. Mouthfeel was like thin honey, and coated the mouth perfectly. Honey, vanilla, and oak first hit the tastebuds, followed by an alcohol kick toward the back. Lonly incredibly sweet honey finish. This was absolutely fantastic, but too sweet for me to enjoy more than one glass in an evening.

Bottle into snifter, cquiroga’s house and Hop Leaf (Chicago IL). Um, damn. Dope. Wow. Makes me want to become a mead maker. I’m still somewhat new to mead rating, so some of this might sound amateurish, but just take away from it the general impression of dopeness. Golden clear in the glass with "highlights" of an orangish ruby color in the light. The "legs" or "tears" or whatever are distinct and belie the alcohol, although it’s incredibly hidden in the mouth. Smells of musty flowers with hints of the alcohol lurking underneath, maybe some melon? Tastes like apple and flowers (meaning it tastes like the analog to it’s smell), sweet but not syrupy and overthetop. The sweet finish lingers on the front of the tounge. So smooth and perfect, I would dare to say balanced if I had any idea what that meant in terms of mead. I do dare to say dope, as that is a universal qualifier and I have no doubts that it applies to this stuff.

Sample courtesy of Jeffin7. Clear, syrupy golden, no head of course. Very strong vibrant aroma of honey, wood and alcohol; sinus-clearing stuff here. Extremely sweet. Plenty of honey and wood up front, then it gives way to notes of vanilla, berries and sweet candy. Alcohol presence is very prominent but in a good way. Very full, rich and syrupy mouthfeel. Great stuff.

My first mead rating. Small glass @ the Hopleaf, this ended the night out for me. Nose is sweet alcohol. The liquid is like thin honey. The taste is sweet, alcoholic, multi-layered swetness. Some acidity and rum notes as well as vanilla and lemony citrus. Somewhat fiery, but not too much. Not so sure how to rate, since I can’t really compare to other meads, but it was lovely and a real treat. The bartender also filled the glass up to the very top, thanks!

Rating #300. Poured a still deep amber. As I tilt my snifter, it leaves a thick syrupy coating along the sides. Beatiful aroma of vanilla, oak, honey, a touch of fruit, and alcohol. Very well-balanced bouquet. Taste is very sweet with tastes of vanilla and cream with some light raspberries. Very little honey taste or alcohol flavor. Somewhat dry finish, laden with lots of vanilla. Thick heavy syrupy body. Though I’ve only had 3 meads thus far, I can already present my agreement with the conclusion that this is the finest mead in the world. Its one detractor is that it is so sweet it is almost sickening. But this brew gets in A+ in pure brilliance of craftsmanship.

Bottle courtesy of Liquid Solutions. Matt’s a great guy... throw some business his way!

Orange color with no head. The aroma is honey and alcohol. The flavor is quite sweet with a warming effect. Honey is the main thing going on with some apples, raspberries, and pears. A very syrupy texture and a slightly spicy palate. Good stuff, thanks egajdzis!

Shared at an impromptu O’Briens tasting by ??? (sorry, I forgot your screen name) Pours clear and bright orangey color - like fire in a glass - with no head. Aroma is very sweet, somewhat earthy with floral notes and a bit of funky B.O. Extremely sweet flavor, dominated by the honey, spice and herbal-floral tastes. A bit cloying imho. Smooth, full body and no carbonation.