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Powdered Kava Review FIJI Yaqona Limited Edition Kava

WimblySlop

Kava Curious
Upon reflecting on a few more sessions, I wanted to update this review. I think this is a very pleasant and aromatic Kava with some distinct properties. Once again, the nose is special and unique to this root: strong of star anise which carries over directly into the nose off the pour. I'm fortunate to have a couple dozen small bottles of various herbs, spices, and roots that I can use for comparison, and if you're familiar with the scent of star anise, this kava carries a nose very similar to the initial whiff from a good, spicy seed before it turns toward the more familiar black licorice scent. Floral and fresh with a pungent herbaceous profile, all of which is firmly grounded in the familiar earthy bitterness of kava.

The bouquet continues pleasantly from powder to grog, and as you go to quaff the drink, you'll perform an intoxicating revisitation of the anise spice which conditions the churlish bite of the kava. A very pleasant and unique flavor which compliments the natural bitterness of the root wonderfully, and relatively "true" to the nose profile. Not a pronounced shift in composition and sensory experience from nose to tongue other than intensity, and not an overtly bitter or difficult-to-drink libation here.

The effects are quite heady. I had been somewhat unfamiliar with the more heady side of Kava heretofore, and so some of these effects were lost on me previously. Having traveled along the heady road a bit further, I now find this root to be particularly heady and pleasant. I would still say it is a moderately strong kava, nothing that will blow your socks off, but I find this to be to its benefit. The more nuanced disposition towards the nose and tongue lend itself to something less aggressive in effect which reflects positively on the overall balance.

Minimal body load, as already indicated. A pleasant-yet-clear headiness that fades into a warm and peaceful afterglow. As a comparison point, I find the come-on of the heady effects of this awa to be a bit more subtle than Mo'i; upon earlier sessions with it, I often found myself wondering if it was particularly weak kava and/or when/if it was "going to hit," only to realize I was already in the thrall of the heady effects without having been fully conscious of it. Make no mistake, this kava does its job effectively in terms of effect, however I find the onset to be particularly subtle and performed with an especially light touch. A friend who has shared in several sessions with me notes a similar pattern of onset and effect.

A stellar kava for the heady-seeker in all of us and a quite pleasant and unique flavor experience as well! Recommended for those looking for something high in the head register and relatively low in body effect.
 
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WimblySlop

Kava Curious
Nice review. I wished I had the taste buds to taste cardamon and anise but I don't. So I prefer Kava that tastes like nothing. To me, Nene tastes like paper. Well, paper ain't so bad in my book. I used to chew on them to make spitballs during my heydays. Hey, what the hell you doing Jman, stop it.
Haha. Well, I noticed it more on the nose, and I think if you pick up a bag, you'll smell it as well. It carries over to the taste a bit as well, but it was unique in how it smelled before I made it. If Nene tastes like paper, I would say this stuff tastes like a paper satchel that had been holding a bit of anise in it before you tore it up, chewed it, and made it into spitballs. :)
 
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