- Valkyrie -

I was intrigued and excited to receive a bottle of Afon Mêl's new Valkyrie Damson mead from their Meadhall range.

The first thing I feel compelled to comment on is the stunning artwork in striking black and silver on these bottles that really pays tribute to the origins of mead, to the stories of heroes, gods, and monsters, and of course, the Valkyrie themselves who served mead to the fallen heroes in Odin's great hall.

I opened this bottle in the company of a good friend and instantly captured the aroma which she described as "Heavy on the damson" - which indeed it is! A ripe and rich, almost cinnamon-spiced fruit aroma is what greeted us from the bottle.

On pouring the colour is a beautifully deep Baltic Amber which really matched the richness of the aroma.

And finally - the bit we were really waiting for! I always hope to taste honey in mead, it is after all the key ingredient and it was abundantly present. Smooth natural honey sweetness balanced perfectly with the distinct sharpness of Damson fruit and the lingering warmth of spice.

If I were to get really poetic - which I sometimes do after a drop or two, I'd liken this mead to a warrior's sword - the damson fruit being the bright sharp blade in perfect balance with the ornately decorated golden hilt and jewelled pommel. I'm so happy to add Valkyrie to my list of firm favourites, it offers so much promise for the rest of the Meadhall range.

Nicely done Afon Mêl!

The battle ends, and the battle-weary walk away, worn. Sometimes victorious, sometimes defeated, and amidst the carnage, the Valkyries descend to claim the greatest of the fallen for Odin's own in the halls of Valhalla.

It is the Valkyrie, the choosers of the slain, which Afon Mel's newest mead makes its namesake, and I can see why.

As I raised my glass, the first thing I noted was the delightful aroma of the honey, a sign of a good mead, followed by the slight tartness of the damson giving it an almost savory edge.

It is perfectly balanced, the depth of the fruit meeting the honey and bringing with it a comforting warmth that lingers, reminding me of those glorious last rays of sunshine on a late summer's evening.

It has a little sharpness, a bite that signifies the end of the battle, followed by a warmth of peace and comfort akin to the enfoldment of Valkyrie wings - the battle is done, and the weary may find their rest. Neither tart or sweet too much, or overpowering the other.

It feels like the perfect drink for the end of one of those long days - when we are a little battle worn and weary - something that could easily be enjoyed with friends around a fire, or as a nightcap to unwind.

It could be enjoyed alone, but personally, after a little thought, I decided it paired most beautifully with Red Storm by Snowdonia Cheese.

The lingering sweet end notes of these two complement each other perfectly, making for an incredibly morish end-of-the-day treat! I could quite happily relax with a little of these together, grateful for the peace of days end, reminiscing over battles won.

Upon opening the package containing Afon Mel’s Valkyrie Damson Mead, the artwork on the label said, ‘This is going to be special’. Fine detail with the black label stands out from the deep, rich burgundy colour of the mead. I left it untouched for a while as this mead was going to be used for a special occasion, my birthday.

It was going to be opened to celebrate my son and daughter’s birthday, but it didn’t happen. Instead, I kept it for mine, and it was opened on the evening before, shared with two very dear friends. Valkyrie Mead Hall mead, shared with fellow warrior women. It seemed appropriate to pour the Damson Mead.

I wasn’t sure what taste I was expecting, tanginess or sour as damsons are, or sweet and distinctive as honey is. Both came through, complimenting each other. As it hits your tastebuds the damson is there, as you swallow it, there is the honey. Neither flavour overpowers the other; they both work together. If you like fruity meads, this is a special one.

The perfect offering mead to start everything off, this will be the mead I recommend for handfasting ceremonies held during the first harvest sabbat of Lughnasadh/Lammas. Severed as part of an after-ceremony feast with meats, bread, and fruits. The representation of both damsons and honey makes it the perfect drink to celebrate a union with.

When I sample a mead, I sample twice. Once for the flavour, once for a ceremony purpose. This is an ideal mead to celebrate the life of those who follow the Norse pantheon with. Drink in toast to those the Valkyries have helped move on.

The taste, the colour, the writing on the bottle of the Valkyrie Damson Mead, and the deep colour; four things come together to as do honey, yeast, water, and damsons to make this mead. Damsons and honey, an enriching flavour.

Buy some, you won’t be disappointed!

When you set your eyes upon this magnificent rich baltic amber colour mead wrapped in the finest label, you do get the feeling that this mead is special. With its amber glow and dark grey and silver designs of stunning Norse knott work with fantastic images of valkyries with their drinking horns raised ready to drink with the slain, it really is a perfect combination to present the drink of the gods.

Opening the bottle I was instantly welcomed by the fruity smell of Damson. The aroma reminded me of spiced fruit like Xmas had come early. I was excited to try the mead to see if the taste was as good as the aroma when opening.

I took my first sip and the moment the Damson mead hit my taste buds, it was like a strong punch of flavour with that initial sweet taste then slightly sour, as the mead swirls around your mouth, you can really taste the Damson fruit perfectly mixed with honey leaving a nice smooth warm finish.

I would say Valkyrie is the best fruit flavour mead I've tasted. I would drink this in the evenings while I'm relaxing by the fire or when I'm outside at night chilling under the stars.

I would also like to congratulate Sean Parry at Sacred Knott Tattoo for such epic label designs, the images are strong and the knot work is stunning.

Now I must go drink more Mead

Skál

A fantastic fruity crowd-pleaser. A great way to ease into mead with a fruity and sweet palate. Highly recommend trying it over ice, topped with tonic, and a slice of apple.