ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA Feb 8, 2007 Bottle (don’t remember the vintage) drunk on 1/27/07 Very bright, brassy gold and hay colored body is glassy-looking, but still transluscent. Fat legs are left on the glass. Thickly sweet, but with a wildflower/perfumey pungency that cuts through the sweetness quite well. Definite medicinal phenolics and light alcohol sharpness appear on the end, but with such low attenuation, all of the pungent, sharp, phenolic and perfumey characteristics are very welcomed as balance. I suppose I smell the "blé noir", and it gives off a lightly hay/straw-like scent, but I certainly would never pick it out blindly. Medium strength of aroma. Very sweet up front, just like the aroma, but lavendar notes, wildflowers and light lemon zest-like notes arrive on the finish to help balance. Dry, almost dusty/chewy buckwheat is noticeable, leaving a bit of grassiness or herbal-like flavors behind and helping soke up some of the fat honey sweetness. Alcohol warmth is definitely strong, with some estery/phenolic spiciness on the finish. It’s sweet, for sure, but I like texture of a sweet mead much more than a dry, and this one didnt cloy my palate, rather the perfumey sharpness and alcohol balanced things well enough. Maybe a touch of soapiness, but I think that’s just the buckwheat. Interesting to see the other scores, I’ll have to try it again, though I’m surprised to see everyone call it cloying as I am usually the last person to enjoy something that others feel is too sweet. Rastacouere (5409), Montréal, Quebec, Canada Nov 24, 2006 Clear rather dark golden hue. Buckwheat brings out some very interesting flavours. I was told the residual sugar content was of 30g/L, but the floury nature of the buckwheat manages to cut through that sweetness a fair bit, which is for the best imo. Rather spicy honeyed flavours with wild flower aromatics siding on. More of an original experience than a pure hedonistic adventure. tiggmtl (4179), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Aug 29, 2006 Vintage 2000 - Fairly strong alcohol in the floral, woody, honey aroma. Plenty of sweetness apparent. Clear, deep golden coloured body. No real legs on the glass. Sweetness up front is joined by woody honey flavour along with melons and apples. Slight tartness at the end before seetness re-emerges in the aftertaste. Medium body is a bit sticky with strong alcohol warming. Snifter. Cellar temperature. Bottle (Marché des Saveurs, Oct-04). beerbuzzmontreal (2747), Montreal, Quebec, Canada Nov 24, 2005 Pours a clear yellow color. Aroma of apples and alcohol with mild honey undertones. The flavor is particulary repugnant, the alcohol is dominant and is accompanied by a cloying sweetness. Taktik_MTL (1983), Montréal-Nord, Quebec, Canada Sep 2, 2005 Verre dégustée au Dieu du Ciel. Arôme: Odeur de schnapps au miel. Apparence: Couleur jaune paille. Saveur: Goût de miel et de cantaloup sucré. Court arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture huileuse. Faible effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût sucré. Malheureusement cet hydromel liquoreux est trop sucré. (Rating #274)
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