Apis Dwójniak Kurpiowski

Brewed by Spółdzielnia Pszczelarska Apis
Style: Mead
Lublin, Poland

This bottled mead came in a beautiful wicker corked bottle. I had been saving it for a special occasion when our good friend JSquire came over for a tasting. I thought it appropriate to dedicate this brew to him and enter it for my 2300th rating. Here’s to you Jeff! The mead poured a beautiful golden red orange brown colored transparent uncarbonated body. There were no bubbles and no carbonation. The aroma was simply amazing with wonderful vinous dark honey notes that were strangely tingly. An amazing fact about this nose was that we could not seem to get our noses out of our snifters during the sampling. The aroma is just magnificent and second only to the Jadwiga. The mouth feel was flat and thick with and oily feeling them BAM!!! the flavor hit in the aftertaste. The honey hits like a cannon. Very sweet honey aftertaste. The flavor was similar with complex notes of honey and honey like notes. Absolutely excellent. After a few sips the alcohol begins to come through and begins to burn slightly as it goes down. What a wonderful nectar from the Gods indeed!

I like drinking mead. It makes me feel like a Viking--in this case, a Polish Viking. And this is very fine mead indeed. It pours a fiery amber and it’s viscosity is made apparent by how it clings to the side of the glass. The aroma, fierce as it is beautiful, is loaded w/ floral, spice and honey overtones w/ an undertone of brandy or port wine. Like most Polish meads, this is quite sweet but it’s sweetness is done delicately and at no point does it cloy. There’s a bit of acidity and along w/ the sweetness and holiday spice, it compliments the silken mouthfeel perfectly. Some citric and dark plummy flavors pop out in the finish. This is consistently one of the most enjoyable beverages I come across.

Thanks Dave! Bottle labeled "11-02-2004". It pours to a glowing orange amber body with nice legs. Very luminescent. The aroma is very strong and covers up most of the alcohol. Honey and nice white wines. The flavor is sweet white wine, sweet honey from an unknown source, pears, dry cedar wood. The palate is very warming in the back of the throat and adds to the stomach. Nice mouthfeel but is a little sticky. Nicely viscous. Mmmmm. Very good. Share this with a bunch of friends! I liked this better than the Jadwiga... 8, 5, 8, 4, 17 = 4.2

Re-rate. Pours to an orange body with no head. Very nice legs. The aroma is extremely complex with floral, fruits, and sweet honey. Extreme complex sweetness. The flavor is sweet honey and complex floral components. Really sweet and nicely textured palate. Really damed good.

My Kurpiowski Royal Honeymead poured a glistening amber copper hue into my snifter, sparkling like a rare precious gem. I will share her with no one and cherish her all to my selfish self while I raise my glass for the most decadent nose I have ever experienced, ever. At first I am met by a lightly acidic nip followed by sticky honey freshly supped off the honeycomb. Cinnamon, ginger, and further essences of cooked honey wrap me up in her succulent embrace. Eyes closed in this very personal moment, I raise my snifter to my lips for our first kiss, and what a kiss it was. Rich, sweet, succulent honey with a light honeycomb crunch. Permeating throughout the palate is an aromatic spiced pleasure of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Definitely a sticky mouthfeel, she only lightly coats my mouth so as to not overwhelm my tastebuds with too much cloying sweetness. Further cinnamon lingers in the aftertaste along with a newcomer to the scene, fresh creamy and sweet butter. As I finish my snifter of Kurpiowski Royal Honeymead, I find myself unwilling to descend from my heavenly heights, so I don’t. Even if our fated meeting is over, I can still revel in the warmth she has left me in.

I can see why real mead was once considered, quite literally, the nectar of the gods to be supped by your most royal of royals, fierce warriors seeking strength and the courage of their gods, and even some of our founding fathers. I find it a horrible travesty and disgrace that real quality mead is nigh impossible to find in the states. This one in particular has her origins in Poland. If you want to find yourself at the gates of Valhalla, then find some Kurpiowski Royal Honeymead, pour, sup, and be inspired.

No head no carbonation. Friggin awesome aroma. Rich sweet and alcoholic. Fills the head with the fragrance of wildflowers, butter and sweet, fruity honey. Nice legs up the sides of the glass. Color is a crystal clear dark orange. Flavor is slick and oily with loads of flavor. Sweet and succulent. Very warming. More dark fruit and flowers. Maybe a little lavendar. Floral notes become more prominent late swallow. Finish is oily and very long and warming. I think that this is a little less sweet than jagwida and just as good. Another damn fine mead. You just need to take it slow with this one and savor the flavor. MMMM MMMM good!

Clear light brown, no head. Nose rich and sweet, loads of honey and slightly floral. Flavor is sweet and rich, currants come on beautifully. Really intriguing finish, about 10 seconds after the swallow the sugars seem to crystallize in the mouth. Darn good stuff.

Nice golden amberish color,No head of course.The aroma was fruity and honey with a nice flavor of of al those things with just a hint of oakeiness thrown in to make it all round out.I have to agree with the others it’s not Jadwiga but it’s still a close second IMo and well worth having around.

Thanks a lot to hey_kevin for breaking out this gem at a small tasting. Pours a light amber. Very thick looking long lasting legs in the glass. The aroma is strong, but with little alcohol. The smell is herbal with flowers and a hint of menthol. Taste is very sweet and rich. Has deep earthy fruits. Must be the currants. While this is thick rich and very sweet, it is not cloying. Very well done.