Mead Diaries, Entry One

All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them...

My first box of Mead arrived!!!

This one from Liquid Solutions.biz --aka the one that took 6 weeks to arrive. Even though it came 'first' out of all the orders, it still took six freakin' weeks to get there. Though the site has a huge selection of different meads from around the US and beyond, I can't reccomend it.



Here's a rundown of the bottles:

2 Chouchen Oak Aged Mead (from france)
1 Chouchen Mead (ditto)
1 Sky River Sweet Mead
1 Sky River Semi-sweet Mead
1 Mountain Meadow's Agave Mead (made with Agave nectar, duh!)
1 Read Stone Meadery, Mountain Honey Wine
1 Chateau Lorane Life Force Vandel Gold Mead (from Eugene, OR)

It was like christmas in The Club House, where I feverously documented all the mead and examined them closely. The Chouchen 2 Year Oak Aged Mead was the bottle I decided to pop open. It's from france much darker in color than all the other bottles, it looked more like an aged scotch or something. Also it's the only one I have two of.





All the bottles recommended that their mead be served chilled, but I just could not wait. I had to indulge.

Upon opening, the auroma of the Chouchen Mead was heavy and sweet with honey (not surprising, right?).



First taste...



Yes. That's me savoring the drink of kings.
Mmmmmm. How my life has been nothing without you....

My reactions to the Chouchen Oak Aged Mead:

• It's not really that sweet, the smell is much stronger
• It tasted kinda watery, it's kinda weak flavored
  
• The oak is definately present, adding a new dimension to previously tasted meads
  

After enjoying a couple of sips, I typed in Chouchen in a little known website called "google" only to find out the Chouchen is a specific mead from Britteny, France known for being a very light mead, up to only 3.5% alcohol by volume. (Most mead is like wine 10-14%) It's also known for being watery. (And that's why I call myself a connoisseur. Boo-yeah!)

Anyways, this paticular bottle is actually 13% ABV and after by first glass, I found myself forgeting most my critisisms and really enjoying the taste.

Later on in the evening, I tried a glass of the mead, chilled, and though that it tasted even more watered down. So this expert recommends Chouchen being served at room tempurature.

EDIT: For the Love of Danny. A Rating System.

The Verdict:

Chouchen 2 Year Oak Aged Mead
A watery honey wine. While it lacks sweetness, the oak adds a complexness that makes it an easily drinkable and interesting mead.