I will list a few of my favourite strains of kava and what is considered the most euphoric and potent.
Chiefs jungle kava (Papua New Guinea)
WOW! kava (Vanuatu) Expensive
Hiwa (Hawaiian)
Tuday aka isa kava (Hawaiian)
Mahakea kava (Hawaiian)
I've tried several different kava pastes but never felt much effect from them. The best one would numb up my mouth nicely and very subtly relax me (so subtle it could have been mostly placebo), but none of the pastes could compare to using root powder. I had better luck with the kava roots effects-wise, but found them to be a pain to consume and prefers root powder for sublingual ingestion as the onset is quicker, and you just need to swish the paste around in your mouth (perhaps with a tiny bit of liquid) until it becomes moist and then let it sit, whereas with the root pieces you need to gnaw on them considerably more.
The popular Vanuatu have chemotypes, for examples --246531 & 426135-- and have dihydrokavain, kavain & methysticin as the first three lactones.
Chemotypes 1) demethoxy-yangonin (DMY); 2) dihydrokavain (DHK); 3) yangonin (Y); 4) kavain (K); 5) dihydromethysticin (DHM); & 6) methysticin (M). First three kavalactones in chemotype code for the chemotype represent 70+% of total kavalactone content.
The DHK & DHM, in unusual, less-popular strains -- seem to be the chemicals that make for “two-day” (tudei) effects – & for nausea. Kavain (hi-% desirable) is most quickly absorbed & its relaxant/anti-depressant effect goes most quickly to mind/body; numbing. Others: Methysticin is noted as “Slow; Sleepiness, muscle relaxant”. DMY & Y seem to be somewhat of a mystery. Also, sum is greater than the parts of the whole.
Solomon’s Island variety is a Creeper variety; quite (most) possibly whicamanii variant, because it was in the growing range of that wild variety, with chemotype possibly closer to NAH’s Chief’s Jungle (“Vanuata High Chief Mix’s” [similar] chemotype is 426135). Good educated hypothesis to keep in mind. Chief’s Jungle prob. has more DHK/DHM (“2” or “5” in chemotype) because there is that tudei/ nausea effect. Solomon’s has something that either minimizes that or has a different predominant kavalactone combo.
~The Awa (Hawaiian for Kava: or "Kava" being Vanuatan for Awa) history and cultivars fascinates me. Categorizes different kinds of Hawaiian Awa.
They also list 18 varieties with various chemotypes. I found the key for the Various Kavalactones:
~~~~~~~1 Demethoxy-yangonin (DMY)
~~~~~~~2 Dihydrokavain (DHK)
~~~~~~~3 Yangonin
~~~~~~~4 Kavain
~~~~~~~5 Dihydromethysticin (DHM)
~~~~~~~6 Methysticin
~~So, the chemotype code is as such-- a "463251" plant, would have the highest #4 (Kavain; considered the most euphoriant kavalactone) and the lowest #1 (Demethoxy-yangonin (DMY)). Here are some others:
~~~~~~~463251: Papa Kea, Honokane'iki, Mo'i, Papa ele'ele, Papa ele'ele Pu'upu'u, Rahmedal, Rahmwager, Samoan
~~~~~~~462351: Hiwa, *Kuma Kua (Puna Green), Mapulehu, Nene
~~~~~~~246531: Isa
~~~~~~~461235: Mahakea
~~~~~~~423651: Hanakapi'ai
~~~~~~~463215: Panaewa, Opihikao
The lore of these types and traditional usages is as useful information as the chemotype and of course, personal experience is probably the most important!
Get Krunked!
Later.
