I really enjoy Lalvin strains for my meads (and, currently, anything that's not a beer). I also really like the detailed information available on their site, to make things even easier. I do find that the listed ABV tolerance is pretty accurate.
IF you're going to make something that's going to push the limits of the yeast, or is a very high gravity, you might want to consider either making a mead starter (different components than a starter for beer yeast, as in DON'T use DME) or start off with less honey at the start and add the rest as the yeast is going through the initial amount. Although it's possible to not do that and still get the batch to ferment fully. I didn't do that for a batch going to 21%, adding all the yeast up front (first use of Wyeast Eau de Vie yeast). Thing was fermenting for over three months. Even now, it's producing CO2 at a steady rate (not off-gassing due to temperature changes).
For an initial mead, I would recommend going with something in the ~14% range, using a Lalvin strain. I would also recommend giving it time to both clear and get the yeast to drop out of suspension. I would not try to stabilize it in order to bottle sooner. Plan on racking every 1-3 months once fermentation has finished (no less than a full month between rackings) to get it off any lees/sediment that drops out. Also, go with good/great quality honey that you enjoy eating already. Don't go for the cheap stuff, or highly processed honey found on many store shelves. Look for local apiaries and see about getting some from them. Depending on your budget, I would go with a 3-4 gallon batch to start (two of my initial batches were 3 gallons). If you go 4 gallons, then you'll have at least 3 gallons to go into bottles by the time it's ready.
BTW, some LHBS's will have good pricing on honey in bulk sizes. Such as a 5 gallon bucket at about $2.75 per pound. If you think you'll be making more mead, or can think of other things to use the honey in, and have the funds available, I would get it. Honey will NOT spoil unlike so many other ingredients. They've found honey that's thousands of years old that's perfectly edible.
Oh, and something else, for the love of all, don't boil the honey/must. In fact, I wouldn't get it above 100-110F at any point. You do NOT need to sterilize/pasteurize honey at all.
Also, be sure to take an OG reading. If you want to figure out what you'll get at the concentration of honey to water you plan to use (you can use the
Got Mead calculator to get an idea but it's best to confirm with the honey you're going to use. I believe 1oz in an 8 fluid ounce solution (that's 1oz dry weight honey) will give you the equal of 1 pound of honey in a 1 gallon must. If you're thinking of doing 3#/gallon, then use 3oz in a solution that totals 8 fluid ounces. Take a gravity reading and you're set. Unless, of course, you have a refractometer that will give you the concentration of the honey without mixing it (I have one, but they are NOT cheap).
Either way, make another batch of mead as soon as you've worked out any process kinks in the first batch. Since they tend to take many months before you're drinking them, it's a good idea to start the next batch before you're bottling the first. Once you have the traditional, or initial batch, under your belt, you'll start looking at other sugar sources to make into a mead/wine/fermentation. I currently have a maple mead/wine using grade B syrup that was started in early December, 2011... I racked it in February and will probably rack it again pretty soon. I currently have three batches of non-beer fermentations going (two traditional meads, or base meads, and the maple). Plus, I have a 5 gallon bucket of honey that's taunting me since I have yet to open it.