mead tastes like medicine

Hello all,

I have been lurking for a while. Great site, very helpful. I have read alot of advice on this site and used as much as I could for my first batch.

But something seems to have gone wrong and I was hoping for a little help. I brewed this batch of mead on 03/25/10.

7.5 lbs honey
1.5 gallons water
1 oz. Vanilla extract
2 split vanilla beans...I like vanilla!
2 cinnamon sticks
.5 tsp FerMax
lalvin Ec-1118 yeast pitched @ 70 degrees

OG = 1.135

Racked to 2 separate vessels on 04/05/10 - grav. = 1.087
Checked today and gravity was 1.045.

My issue is that the mead has a very strong medicine taste to it. When I racked it the taste was there, but not as strong. Is this something I should be worried about. I read some were that you shouldn't use vanilla extract because preservatives will give it an off flavor. I hope this is not the case as this is my first batch and wouldn't want have to toss it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. If there is a way to save this mead I would be eternally grateful to know how.

Thank you
Jed

when to bottle

So, I should let this finish fermenting (it never had a vigorous ferment). Then should I leave it in the jugs, or should I bottle it and let it sit for the remainder of the time.

P.S. Thank you for the responses. I already feel better.

patience

I will learn more patience..... I will leave it in the jugs, minus racking, for the next six months. Then I will bottle after I know it is done fermenting.
In the interim I will make more beer, and more mead.

Thank you all.
Jed