Orange Cinnamon Mead - 5 gallon batch

I am going to start the below Orange Cinnamon Mead tonight. Anyone know if I should do the 2 week must bucket fermention with something like this? Also, when is the best time to add the flavoring? and for how long? I assume if I leave the flavoring in there too long it will spoil the batch.

Orange Cinnamon Mead - 5 gallon batch
18 pounds of clover honey
5 Oranges
5 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
2 packets of fleishmanns yeast
1/2 teasoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
spring water to make 5 gallons

Thanks!

Matt

Funny, I JUST set one of these up last night (haven't pitched yeast yet). However, mine was a pyment with 3 gallons of grape juice added in addition to 12 lbs honey.

Anyways, I "steeped" the wort with the cinnamon & orange (skipped clove, nutmeg, allspice) for 12 minutes. This was done right after taking the must off the heat, and covering. I could really detect the orange scent after that time, and hints of cinnamon.

I stole this technique from Malkore's "not-so-ancient" mead recipe. It seems to have worked very well, but I have no taste-test to prove it!

you are pretty much making JOAM here, but for a 5 gallon batch with that much $$ invested in honey, spend ahother dollar or 2 on a good wine yeast. Perhaps some D-47 for a sweeter version, or come Premiere cuve for a dry version.

Also....I That esarkipato speaks of heating the must....Skip it. You'll gain nothing by heating your honey....and you'll loose a lot.

This sounds like a tasty mead and, as BK has already said, this will taste remarkably similar to JAO. With all respect to BK, I believe that Fleishman's yeast does very well in this type of mead and results in a finished mead with just the right level of sweetness to compliment both the oranges and spices. I think Fleishman's is the perfect compliment to JAO, though I know some would disagree.

I just bought some D47. But does anyone know when I should add the oranges and other flavoring to the mead? During or after the primary fermentation stage?