Apis Póltorak Jadwiga

Brewed by Spółdzielnia Pszczelarska Apis
Style: Mead
Lublin, Poland

Serve in Snifter

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Bottle. Innocently amber with a small head. Warm, alcoholic, and honey aroma that I was immiediately enamored with. Amazing, I've never smelled anything like it! Belgianmaid tells me I should try Ports. Prominent honey in the flavor, soy sauce, raisins. Ultra-smooth and flawless mouthfeel with a honey-sweet aftertaste. Simply wonderful. The high ABV is distinguishable but smooth. My highlight beer for the 2003 Southern Hootenanny.

Had at the Strong Ale Festival, December 6, 2003
Many thanks to the other ratebeerians at the Strong Ale festival for sharing this fine gem with me. An amazing aroma of honey, sugar and alcohol wafts from the bottom as you swirl it and it sticks to all sides of the glass. As I got ready to enjoy this fine mead, I wasn't sure what to expect - sure, there'd be honey, but it also seemed that I'd get a lot of alcohol, but the taste is pure sweetness, an amazing blend of honey and maple with no alcohol to be found. The aftertaste just adds to the delighfulness of this fine mead as it's just all honey, one of my favorite foods. The only downside was the limited quantity available to me - I think I could have drunk it all - a simply amazing mead with a complexity that is not to be understated.

Truly a delight to have tried it. Hints at maple syrup with some nuttiness.Of course the base for all that is going on is a rich dark honey flavor. At 17% the alcohol is non existent. Thick, full velvety mouthfeel.This is one of the best things I think I have ever drank.

This is one intense, complex beverage. Dark ruby body. An intense nose of sweet honey, dark, ripe fruits, apple, oak and a light touch of alcohol. The flavor is sweet and very pleasing with lots of honey and fruit. The one 4oz sample I had was plenty. Sweet, but not overly so, and just complex as all hell. This was a real treat.

UPDATED: MAY 6, 2005 This mead is a work of art. A huge thanks to hopsrus for getting it to me. It’s clear amber colored, and has a velvety thick mouthfeel. I couldn’t detect any alcohol. The aroma and taste of honey is exquisite.

UPDATED: JUN 29, 2007 This mead is going to be a hit or miss with us at Rate Beer. It doesn’t have much in common with anything else I’ve rated. It is a liquor, somewhat fruity, syrupy, and alcoholic, taste of honey is very prevalent. Very reminiscent of a good sherry or port. Not one you are going to knock back a few of, but a great drink to cap off on evening. Flavors of raisin, prunes and figs. If all meads tasted like this one I might have to switch styles.

I really don't see how a mead could be better than this. But maybe I could be biased because I shelled out the bucks for it. But it was so worth it, I mean it. The aroma was evident from over 2 feet away, sticking your nose in the glass was almost too much for me to bear. Almost cloying mixture of rum, raisins, cream, potent dark honey, a touch of cinnamon and strawberry -- blended together with a whole ton of alcohol. Heavy, sticky,glass-coating rich clear garnet hue. Rich, aged fullness evident immediately after the first sip. Alcohol well-disguised by apple blossom sweetness, vanilla, almond, and a touch of citrus. Dizzying aroma definitely more bark than bite in terms of alcohol. Just a bit of warmth in the back of the throat. Noted just a bit of dryness. Perfect palate...all flavor notes evident and lingered without overpowering sweetness. You must, must try this mead!

UPDATED: NOV 27, 2007 Glistening clear rosy chestnut. Seeping oily drippings cling to the glass like a full-bodied wine. Luxurious aroma of melted plums, butter, graham, wax, almond, gelatin, and solvent. Lightly vinous with spicy alcohol notes. The dark honey, toasted wood, and flowery tones are perfectly-placed. Decadently soft, silky, and oily on the palate. The pungent alcohol struggles to get past the immense complexity, thus is not even a factor. Mesmerizingly rich flavors are fended by tangy honey and feathery floral notes. Tingly vinous textures assault the palate with notes of sherry, melon, and slightly coarse honeyed raisins. Solvent-like alcohol becomes more apparent toward the finish, but is suppressed by the flowery honey and toasted wood. Addictively succulent and sappy throughout. Not only are the honey notes flawlessly exhibited, but the flowery notes ensure the drinkabilty and the alcohol is remarkably concealed. Only a goddess is worthy of this 25 year-old nectar.

UPDATED: OCT 9, 2003 Very nice dark amber color.No head but then maybe there not supposed to have a head.The aroma is fantastic,wine like in many respects,sweet as hell,almost a plum or possibly pruneish aroma,with a slight but very evident alcohol bite as well.Very heavy thick feel in the mouth,sweet as hell,big wine taste,the alcohol is some what hidden and what you do detect is gone shortly after you detect it.Damn i'm glad i bought this brew it.It's my first Mead but it was worth the $30/bottle and Muhahahaha to you poor souls who where unwilling to trade for such a good brew.My Grandmother used to say that age was nothing but for this Mead it is everything.It's 25 years old and doing quite well for it's age.I'm glad i have 3 more to save for later and for those of you who didn't or couldn't read in the forum,your loss.