On vacation in TN this week with my wife celbrating our 18th anniversary, I bought a bottle of Shady Groves' traditional mead in Knoxville before heading off to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge.
It was labeled "Traditional (Poplar/Clover)", and was labeled "Sweet".
The color was light golden, and my first sip/taste was chilled from a cold fridge. It had very little nose.
Taste was clean, crisp, but with a slight bitterness and "hotness". The hotness almost tastes like vodka was added, or it could be fusels that I'm encountering. While the label indicated "sweet", I would call this more a semi-sweet. Wife had a taste and said "yuck!" (she likes it real sweet). It tastes and feels like it was finished dry, and then backsweetened. Did not make me want another glass.
The next day I had another try at it, but this time at room temp. Again, not much nose, still "fusely" hot, and while it has more interesting flavor notes than the Oregon Honeywood I've tried, overall, I'd rate this mediocre. And with a price of $22/bottle, it was quite disappointing.
Eric
It was labeled "Traditional (Poplar/Clover)", and was labeled "Sweet".
The color was light golden, and my first sip/taste was chilled from a cold fridge. It had very little nose.
Taste was clean, crisp, but with a slight bitterness and "hotness". The hotness almost tastes like vodka was added, or it could be fusels that I'm encountering. While the label indicated "sweet", I would call this more a semi-sweet. Wife had a taste and said "yuck!" (she likes it real sweet). It tastes and feels like it was finished dry, and then backsweetened. Did not make me want another glass.
The next day I had another try at it, but this time at room temp. Again, not much nose, still "fusely" hot, and while it has more interesting flavor notes than the Oregon Honeywood I've tried, overall, I'd rate this mediocre. And with a price of $22/bottle, it was quite disappointing.
Eric
