Hmm...my first experience? Don't get to complicated. I found a book by Patricia Teleseco on Magical Brews, and chose a mead from that. It had about 20 different spices in it (my Christmas Mead, up on the recipe board). Once it fermented, it tasted like *gasoline*. Nasty, to say the least. I'd made a 3 gallon batch, and it got sealed in the 3 gallon carboy with plastic, and stashed in the basement. About every 3 months or so, I'd remember it was down there, and taste it. Still gasoline. After about 18 months, it mysteriously went from gasoline to nectar of the gods!
I also boiled with that one, and while experimenting after pitching the first one (I made about 8 meads while the first aged in the basement, forgotton), I decided that I'd rather pastuerize, and that I'd rather not use any chemicals except a bit of yeast nutrient. Since then, I brew my meads clean, adding only raisins or yeast nutrient, and balancing with additonal honey or lemon juice at the end.
Vicky