Aroma: “Moderate floral honey, some sweetness, slight dark fruit esters, black pepper phenol, white-wine grape esters, coconut, very light sherry notes, touch of bourbon, light chocolate, some alcohol warming. Honey slow to build but blends nicely with the caramel-oak.”

Flavor: “Nice honey up front, semi-sweet with strong oak, moderate vanilla, touch of smoky mesquite-like phenols, light chocolate, big coconut, some tannins, some astringency, moderate alcohol. Medium body. Drying finish. Phenols linger. Smooth with a soft finish that is spiked with the peppery alcohol notes rather than tartness.”

Overall: “This is a fairly complex mead that one should sit and enjoy slowly. It does have a bit of an alcohol bite, but the complexity shines through with varied barrel characteristics. Honey takes too long to present itself.”