Here's a best/worst list of some kavas I tried this year. Feel free to reply with your own experiences.
Note, these are just my personal opinions, some people respond differently to different kavas and have different parameters by which they judge.
If your kava did not make my list, it's simply because I didn't consume it this year or it didn't fit my personal preferences.
Enjoy...
The Golden Shell Awards 2015
Best overall medium-grind:
GHK 'Opihikao & KWK Loa Waka
·I enjoyed many medium grinds this year, but in terms of strength, effects & consistancy, these two stand out the most to me·
Best micronized kava:
Paradise Kava's 12 yr. Fiji waka
·While there's no guarantee that it's processed as well as GHK's micro(makas removed), this stuff had such great potency
and effects, it may have been my best kava experience of the year...outside of Vanuatu fresh.
It's also one of the finest micros, particle size-wise, that I've ever had·
Headiest kava:
Squanch Kava
·This was probably the headiest, cleanest feeling new kava I tried this year, not what I typically expect from a Fijian waka.
I place this one in the very heady-centric category that includes such greats as Mo'i, 'Ava Lea & Kavaboy's Hinehina·
Heaviest Noble:
N@H WOW! & PK Vanuatu Straight Laterals
·This is typically a category for Boroguru cultivars to win, which WOW! happens to be and PK's Lats might be.
Had I included this category last year, my vote likely would have went to GHK's Boroguru·
Best Tongan Kava:
KWK Pouni Ono
·Vanuatu & Fiji have always seemed to dominate the kava export, but in Polynesia, it looks like Tonga is really stepping up as a major kava producer.
Just about everyone is selling a Tongan kava these days, so I figured I'd add my favorite Tong of the year, KWK's Pouni Ono ('ata cultivar).
This one goes a little bit deeper than most Tongan kavas and that's exactly why it won my favor·
Best new vendor:
Kavafied
·While several new vendors have emerged, all which seem great, Kavafied appears to be making the biggest moves.
I haven't tried their kava yet, but they've got a great looking site, a big social media presence and seem to be pushing kava innovation
while simultaneously promoting knowledge of traditional history and usage. Who's bankrolling this thing ?!·
Best Deal:
Big Kava
·While vendors like BKH & KWK offer a good variety of kavas at slightly lower prices, Big Kava just swooped in with 1 pound of great Fiji kava for $35.00 per lb. on Amazon. A close 2nd would be Kule'a Farm Kava's Melo Melo, which is $42.95 on Amazon with free shipping.
It's a noble Vanuatu kava at a good price, but often sells out and isn't quite as strong·
Best Fresh Kava:
Obama Nakamal & Greenlight Nakamal
·There are endless great fresh kavas in Vanuatu, but I had a couple wonky ones too. The two that stood out as the best to me were;
Obama Nakamal's Pentecost kava, in the Namburu area of Port Vila and the kava from a 'Greenlight' nakamal on the bay side of Port Vila.·
Best Flavor:
GHK 'Ava Lea
·Perhaps a better title would be "Least worst flavor", the winner of this category is always more likely to go to a Polynesian kava since they tend to be on the lighter and creamier side of the spectrum. This year, I think this Samoan 'ava Lea was probably the least offensive kava I tasted.
Side note, Squanch kava is probably the mildest flavor of a non-polynesian kava I've yet to have but not quite as creamy·
Worst Flavor:
HKC "Hiwa"
·This "kava" turned out to have aerial portions of the plant in the bag, which results in a strange soured flavor
that isn't really reminiscent of kava at all and is it's on special kind of putrid·
Weakest kava:
HKC "Hiwa"
·Although it turned out to be Tudei kava with aerials mixed in, it was the weakest kava I had all year.
If it's not fair to even consider this kava, I would say Maui Medicinal's kava powder was
the weakest legitimate noble kava I had. It was fine, but quite mild even at high doses·
Biggest Disappointment:
HKC "Hiwa"
·Obviously. Let's hope Hawaiian Kava Center gets on the right track in 2016·
Vendors I've yet to sample: Cactus Kava, Unda Kava, Kavafied
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...and that concludes our ceremony. Feel free to add any categories you want to your replies.
@Paradise Kava @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava @Kalm with Kava @Kavafied @Squanch72 @BigKava
Note, these are just my personal opinions, some people respond differently to different kavas and have different parameters by which they judge.
If your kava did not make my list, it's simply because I didn't consume it this year or it didn't fit my personal preferences.
Enjoy...
Best overall medium-grind:
·I enjoyed many medium grinds this year, but in terms of strength, effects & consistancy, these two stand out the most to me·
Best micronized kava:
·While there's no guarantee that it's processed as well as GHK's micro(makas removed), this stuff had such great potency
and effects, it may have been my best kava experience of the year...outside of Vanuatu fresh.
It's also one of the finest micros, particle size-wise, that I've ever had·
Headiest kava:
·This was probably the headiest, cleanest feeling new kava I tried this year, not what I typically expect from a Fijian waka.
I place this one in the very heady-centric category that includes such greats as Mo'i, 'Ava Lea & Kavaboy's Hinehina·
Heaviest Noble:
·This is typically a category for Boroguru cultivars to win, which WOW! happens to be and PK's Lats might be.
Had I included this category last year, my vote likely would have went to GHK's Boroguru·
Best Tongan Kava:
KWK Pouni Ono·Vanuatu & Fiji have always seemed to dominate the kava export, but in Polynesia, it looks like Tonga is really stepping up as a major kava producer.
Just about everyone is selling a Tongan kava these days, so I figured I'd add my favorite Tong of the year, KWK's Pouni Ono ('ata cultivar).
This one goes a little bit deeper than most Tongan kavas and that's exactly why it won my favor·
Best new vendor:
Kavafied·While several new vendors have emerged, all which seem great, Kavafied appears to be making the biggest moves.
I haven't tried their kava yet, but they've got a great looking site, a big social media presence and seem to be pushing kava innovation
while simultaneously promoting knowledge of traditional history and usage. Who's bankrolling this thing ?!·
Best Deal:
Big Kava ·While vendors like BKH & KWK offer a good variety of kavas at slightly lower prices, Big Kava just swooped in with 1 pound of great Fiji kava for $35.00 per lb. on Amazon. A close 2nd would be Kule'a Farm Kava's Melo Melo, which is $42.95 on Amazon with free shipping.
It's a noble Vanuatu kava at a good price, but often sells out and isn't quite as strong·
Best Fresh Kava:
·There are endless great fresh kavas in Vanuatu, but I had a couple wonky ones too. The two that stood out as the best to me were;
Obama Nakamal's Pentecost kava, in the Namburu area of Port Vila and the kava from a 'Greenlight' nakamal on the bay side of Port Vila.·
Best Flavor:
·Perhaps a better title would be "Least worst flavor", the winner of this category is always more likely to go to a Polynesian kava since they tend to be on the lighter and creamier side of the spectrum. This year, I think this Samoan 'ava Lea was probably the least offensive kava I tasted.
Side note, Squanch kava is probably the mildest flavor of a non-polynesian kava I've yet to have but not quite as creamy·
Worst Flavor:
·This "kava" turned out to have aerial portions of the plant in the bag, which results in a strange soured flavor
that isn't really reminiscent of kava at all and is it's on special kind of putrid·
Weakest kava:
·Although it turned out to be Tudei kava with aerials mixed in, it was the weakest kava I had all year.
If it's not fair to even consider this kava, I would say Maui Medicinal's kava powder was
the weakest legitimate noble kava I had. It was fine, but quite mild even at high doses·
Biggest Disappointment:
·Obviously. Let's hope Hawaiian Kava Center gets on the right track in 2016·
Vendors I've yet to sample: Cactus Kava, Unda Kava, Kavafied
-------------------------------------------------------------------
...and that concludes our ceremony. Feel free to add any categories you want to your replies.
@Paradise Kava @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava @Kalm with Kava @Kavafied @Squanch72 @BigKava
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