Yeah, good luck with the bitterness receding.
I did exactly the same thing... Cut the honey down to 3 lbs. because I prefer dry wines.
BIG mistake.
The honey is definitely needed to balance out/hide the bitterness of the orange pith. Mine has been aging now for 7 months and, if possible, its gotten even more bitter.
I'm experimenting with backsweetening now. It broke my heart to see the haze and mucky looking stuff that the added honey caused, but I added bentonite to clear it and it's back to crystal clear now.
If there was any one thing that everyone trying the JAOM recipe should have drummed into them, it is this: DO NOT CUT BACK ON THE HONEY! Not with this one.
Just my $0.02,
Joe