Beginner mead maker

[Barzahl]

Hi, I am a beginner mead maker I started brewing in February and have made 6 gallons of traditional mead and have 1 gallon of traditional and a gallon of acerglyn with buckwheat honey brewing.
I noticed my first two batches which were both 3 gallon were lighter at the top and when I racked the first batch off into gallon carboys the color of each was noticably different is that supposed to happen? I fermented it dry(both batches had ec1118 and a potential abv of about 15.5% although my second batch stalled with 5% to go) I tasted both the lighter and the darker one, the lighter tasting more like the honey(pine barrens) and the darker tasting spicy. The second batch which I haven't racked off yet to give it a little more time to clear has a slight cardboard off taste which I heard is caused be oxidation and I was wondering if it might age out?

 

[JohnSand]

Welcome!
I haven't made mead. It's possible that it stratified, or maybe didn't settle out solids.
I don't think oxidation will age out, but the flavor might be something else. Yeast produces some interesting flavors while it's working.

 

[Barzahl]

Welcome!
I haven't made mead. It's possible that it stratified, or maybe didn't settle out solids.
I don't think oxidation will age out, but the flavor might be something else. Yeast produces some interesting flavors while it's working.

Thank you.
You're probably right about it being unsettled solids even in a glass my mead looks foggy compared to a lot of the others in the forums.
I didn't expect oxidation could age out but I had hoped, it isn't very noticable though I had 5 people try it and even after I specifically asked about cardboard flavor only one said they think they got a little of it, time will tell though. Part of the reason I suspect oxidation is that one day when I got home from work the airlock was empty, pretty sure my one year old nephew was playing with it and spilled it, he loves pulling them out