I recently covered Nidhoggr Mead Co‘s Ginger Mead, easily the most autumnal, warming meads in their impressive selection. Naturally, I thought it best to follow that up with what is perhaps the summeriest melomel on the market – Raspberry & Lemon Mead.
Each one of Nidhoggr‘s bottles represents a deceptively simple concept. The marriage of taste between honey and fruit, in most cases. Where other meaderies employ sometimes complex and layered amounts of different ingredients to achieve bottles that can seem a little overwhelming to your average drinker, Nidhoggr make strong mead with straightforward flavours. I’m not knocking complex spiced meads – they’re among my favourites, but Nidhoggr Mead Co have turned simplicity into an art form, and there’s a lot to be said for the quality of their heady, punchy meads.
Combining the softest aspects of raspberry with a subtle but moreish lemon hint, Raspberry & Lemon possesses an intensely refreshing nature. It’s a tender blossom of raspberry across the tongue, dripping with deep honey notes, which reaches a peak with a sprinkling of citrus which cleanses the palate and stands as an excellent – if not quite as prominent – flavour itself. The lemon is more of an accessory to the raspberry in this mead, so if you’re looking for some powerful citrus, it might not be for you.
The soft, refreshing flavours Raspberry & Lemon Mead offers make it a natural choice for longer drinks – top it up with a quality lemonade or cordial with some ice and you’ve got a showstopping summer drink with barely any effort. I know it seems like a lot of my Nidhoggr Mead Co reviews have been along similar lines – strong flavours, incredibly versatile, the ever-present ‘lingering honey’ aftertaste, but that’s because their ethos is so incredibly powerful, it shapes every drink they produce. Mead for the masses, bottles that do what they say on the labels. Mead that feels just as at home in a drinking horn as it does in a cocktail glass.
Nonetheless, the raspberry notes are absolutely sublime, paired off with a delicate sweetness that brings to mind the freshest aspects of the fruit. It’s the gentlest, softest side of raspberry – no tartness or sour notes, and this allows that little bit of lemon in the background to come through. I think without that tiny splash of citrus this mead would probably be just a touch too sweet for most. That subtle addition really elevates this bottle, it’s not quite as remarkable as Blueberry & Blackcurrant, but it’s a mead I’d be very happy to drink again.
Nidhoggr Mead Co Raspberry & Lemon Mead – 4/5
Raspberry & Lemon Mead is a beautiful summery tipple, and although those sunshine days feel very far away indeed this is a quality bottle that will go down a treat on a hot afternoon. Another excellent string to Nidhoggr Mead Co‘s already very well strung bow.
Sweet, fresh, bursting with sunny flavours – a perfect cocktail mead or a lovely beverage by itself.
If you’d like to grab your own bottle of Raspberry & Lemon Mead, the best place is Nidhoggr Mead Co’s website.