 garretjax (103), Colorado, USA
Mar 7, 2008 Pale golden color thats pretty much still, a bit of bubble at the edge of the glass. Great honey aroma and the rose essence definately shows through. Medium body and no detection of carbonation(which is good). Lightly acidic, that balances the sweetness of the honey. This is the way I think meads should be crafted. Semi sweet and off dry. It is refreshing, crisp and surprisingly clean. Not a sicly sweet mess that most ’classic’ meads can be. The finish lingers in the nose of the rose water. This is more like a wine... Chablis or even a chardonnay without the oak. Excellent work. Really interested in the dry varieties.
aracauna (2219), Georgia, USA
Jul 13, 2007 Pours a clear gold, and is perfectly still. The honey comes in clear and first, and it’s effect is made all the more floral with the rose water. Underneath lingers something that could be oak or a lightly buttered biscuit (but this is very subtle). The flavor is really interesting. As long as the liquid is held in the mouth all you notice is that it’s fairly slick and a bit of alcohol. No sweetness is noticed at all until the instant of the swallow, when the flavor bursts with a pleasant sweetness, light burn of alcohol and more of that wood/biscuit. Delicate is quite the apt descriptor. Delicious.
Ernest (4178), Boulder, Colorado, USA
Nov 25, 2004 2003 vintage (bottled in 2004). No head (still). Body is hazy medium yellow. Aroma is notes of honey, flowers, grapefruit, pine needles, grapes, perfume. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Medium body, watery texture, flat carbonation (although faintly effervescent), lightly astringent. Lovers of American IPAs may find the aroma strangely familiar...somehow this smells distinctly like PNW hops were used, and though Mark may one day make a mead with hops, this doesn’t use them. But it smells just like the grapefruit/pine hops American hopheads know and love. As with all of Mark’s meads, this is more akin to wine than most commercial meads and thus more satisfying: better balance (in both aroma and flavor), nice tannic grip to provide a better mouthfeel, and not syrupy or cloying. Another winner, and something for hopheads to try if they’re not sure they’re going to like mead. For me, I’m not a big fan of PNW hops, and I prefer Mark’s sweeter meads, but the quality here is top-notch. Very cool.
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