YMMV, but I'll anecdotally throw out my house favorite mead as an example of a high gravity mead that is bone dry, but drinks semi-sweet.
I make it in 8 gallon batches, 25lbs of honey and 6 gallons of cranberry juice. Usually I use either EC-1118 or D47, although I prefer the EC-1118 as it tends to be slightly cleaner.
OG is right around 1.160, FG is .996 ABV is around 19%. I ferment to completion in less than 30 days at 65-70°F, following TOSNA protocols. I will bulk age this 6-9 months before kegging and it is tasty for at least 2 years in the keg (I've never had a batch last longer than that!)
It is drinkable at almost every stage of fermentation except right around SG 1.020 - 1.005 where the flavor gets weird. My theory is that the yeast are running on fumes in a high ABV environment, and haven't cleaned up after themselves yet. Once it gets below 1.000 all is right again, although straight from the fermenter it will have a hot alcohol flavor.
The resulting mead is amber/red in color, and when slightly chilled, you can taste the cranberry, and the honey. It has legs for days when swirled in a wine glass, and the alcohol hides behind the tartness and sweetness of the cranberry flavor and is undetectable. Dangerous stuff when drunk in quantity, as one can discover that suddenly you are unable to stand up from the firepit or walk in a straight line. It goes down so well, that this is an occasional thing.
Cheers!