Honey Sun Iqhilika (Mead) - Herbal

Brewed by Makana Meadery
Style: Mead
Grahamstown, South Africa

$24 bottle at Bon Vivant in Smithfield VA. Strong clove and cinnamon aroma. Yellow color. Cinnamon, basil, and apple taste. Raw honey comes through as the glass warms. If you prefer the honey flavor, let it settle, swirling depresses the honey flavor. Tastes a bit like drinking a highly spiced apple pie. Rose petal finish. I drank it chilled, but I bet it is incredible if served hot on a cold winter night. I wish I could afford to drink it every day.

750ml bottle from Green’s liquor store in downtown Atl. No head, light golden color. Strong aroma of fresh roses as soon as cork is out and is even stronger in the glass . Flavors of apples and cinnamon. Reminds me of spiced apple cider with a warming hint of alcohol. Definitly a pleasure to drink.

Golden color with a big herbal aroma that really captivates the senses - honey, berries, apples, aand assorted natural spices. Flavor is a nice apple-honey combo with a pleasant mouthfeel and aftertaste. Bits of citrus in there too. Nice mead, but pricey!

I was able to sample this and like it quite a bit & was very happy when I found a bottle at one of my local shops. Pours light clear yellow with no head - looks like a nice chardonnay and clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is very floral and gentle with notes of cinnamon, hibiscus, rooibos and light bits of honey - overall this is a refreshing herbal experience. Medium / light body that is smooth, clean and velvety. Starts with hibiscus and apples/pear notes, some cinnamon and a pepper kick. The finish is quite dry with rooibos (red tea) characteristics and other lingering herbal notes. The alcohol is very well hidden. A very nice and well made mead - unique and wonderful.

Rating 1,700! Entered on my 50th birthday! And a new country to boot. Bottle at Bavarian Lodge, Lisle. So why aren’t there more ratings from the Chicago contingent? Sorry if I’m overenthused about this, but this does deliver everything its promised. Still mead with a clear, honey yellow color. Smell of apple wassail and pumpkin pie spice. The taste continues that spiced apple theme, adding cinnamon and bergamont in slippery liquid sunshine. A bit of sour backup just in the middle that makes my eyes roll up a bit. Great dry finish. Get down and try this!

Sampled at Tria Fermentation School’s mead class, 5/8/07. Golden color. Beautiful aroma, with honey, anise, cinnamon, liquorice, and incense most notable. Very reminiscent of spiced apple cider, with anise, cinnamon and floral flavor. really tasty.

Bottle. Poured clear golden color with good legs. Heavy floral, tea and alcohol aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Medium balanced spicy flavor with a medium to heavy sweet spicy finish of moderate to long duration. Complex standout mead.

I think RLB brought this to Willblakes thing a few weeks ago? Pours a clear light gold, and still. Aroma is flowery, fresh cut hay and grass, spicy- cinnamon, rose hips, citric and vitamin C like. Sweet honey flavor, but not cloying or too sticky sweet like some of the Polish Meads, more herbs and grass, phenolic and spicy, cloves, more cinnamon, rose petals/hips, some raisin and a nice smooth finish. Not as sweet as Jadwiga- but equally as complex. I didnt think I would like this, but I was really surprised. Great Mead.