I'm one of the newb mead makers that havent made a JAOM, seems some look at it as a right of passage into the world of mead, have to start there, I went even more simple, a traditional of just honey, water, nutrient and yeast, wanted to learn technique and such first.
I've been considering making a JAOM now that I have the traditional and a melomel working, its third on the list behind a brochet and a metheglin I've been playing around with a recipe for. I'm doing all 1 gallon batches right now which I know some disagree with but I'm not looking for quantity just yet, more interested in finding methods and recipes I like (ie: the type honey I like, yeast I have best luck with for my recipes and climate control ability) then will increase batch sizes of the succesful ones.
For the JAOM I am thinking about, or the similar version I'm contemplating, I am going to break the orange down, use the segments and zest from the orange, eliminate the pith, that seems to me the source of the flavor profile complaints I've read, also going to add the cinnamon and clove in a lesser quantity later in the process, it won't really make it any more difficult.