FYS
Shell Shocked
Note: This is part of a comparative review of three kavas from Kava Time, Savusavu, Beqa's Sanctuary, and Kadavu. In order to accurately compare the three kavas I prepared the same amount of each strain at about the same time in the evening and every effort was made to replicate the same conditions each time. 25g is an average amount for me so I thought it best to continue this for my reviews. It should also be noted that I generally prefer kavas on the heavier side.
Vendor description:
Our Gourmet Kadavu Waka is 100% medium grind lateral kava roots, dried by the radiant Fijian sun. The waka is sourced from Kadavu where the climate conditions are just right to produce the most potent kava of Fiji.
Our farmer has advised that his Kadavu Waka primarily consists of a variety known as Damu in Fiji. This kava is quite bitter tasting and produces a darker colored beverage. It is labeled as gourmet because the plants are 5+ years old. The Gourmet Kadavu Waka is the heaviest of all Fijian kavas and is significantly potent making it best for weekend krunking.
Chemotype: 246513
Kavalactone %: 12.7%
Retail Price: $54.95/16oz
Shipping & Packaging:
This was purchased as part of the KavaTime Baby Mix sampler. Shipping was quick; 2 business days door to door. Shipping was out of Florida. The products came in a small brown box which is a nice change of pace from the standard envelope and much less prone to accidents I would imagine. For those concerned with discretion the name Kava Time was present on the package. The product itself was adequately secured by a sturdy piece of brown packing paper on both the top and bottom of the package.
Inside was a sealed bag bearing the Kava Time logo as well as the name of the product, supplement facts, preparation instructions, and notes about the company. Inside of that were 3 non-resealable bags, made of a strong plastic that is unlikely to tear, each with a sticker denoting the type. The fact that the smaller bags are not resealable may be an issue for some because if you do not use the entire package at once you will have to transfer to a different container or employ some kind of clip. Personally, I always immediately transfer all of my kava to a separate container once I receive it.
Overall I think the packaging is perfectly fine and the labels are nice. The only thing I would note is that I think the serving size could be represented a bit better. The directions say to use 2 heaping tablespoons which they equate to 1oz. While I prefer measuring by weight instead of volume due to its inaccuracies I would like to see the 2 heaping tablespoons changed to 4 level tablespoons(roughly equivalent to the 1oz stated per serving size) since its much more repeatable.
Weight:
Advertised Weight 3oz(85g) Received 84.33g Bag weight: 1.47g Sticker weight: 1.68g Total bag weight: 3.15g Overall weight: 86.59g
One large chunk weighing .37g
Appearance and Scent:
Very dark in appearance, by far the darkest of the three, medium brown in color. The grind appears slightly more coarse than the Savusavu and about the same as the Beqa's but still on the finer side for medium grind with some medium sized chunks and one large chunk. The scent is very strong and woody.
The prepared grog is dark and oily, reminiscent of melted milk chocolate with a strong woody and peppery aroma.
Taste:
Definitely the strongest tasting of the bunch with a very pronounced kava taste, though still not off putting and drinkable, and a heavy numbing effect.
Dosage and MOP:
25g of kava with 450ml of 170F RO water using the "Cactus Method" and kneaded in an 80 micron bag for 15 minutes and drank in 150ml "shells" every 10 minutes. Second wash was done but not used.
Onset:
Onset was very slow with initial effects becoming noticeable at about the 40 minute mark. Peak and onset were at virtually the same time with little time between the effects being felt and coming on full force.
Duration:
Peak duration was very long about 3.5 to 4 hours before beginning to noticeably fade. Heavy sedation continued throughout the evening along with mild euphoria and muscle relaxation.
Effects and Final Thoughts:
This one is definitely a creeper but worth the wait. There was no onset or easing you into it. I went from wondering when something was going to happen to a full blown krunk out of nowhere. The effects were very strong but not overwhelming. There was some headiness but mostly heavy body load, sedation, and analgesia with a fair amount of euphoria and great muscle relaxing properties. If I had wanted to I could have went to sleep at any point but I never felt like I had to. The peak duration was also extremely long, probably one of the longest I have had, and even after the bulk of the effects began to subside there was still a fair amount of sedation and body load with a general feeling of well being for several hours afterwards. Sleep came very easily and was restful with no effects the next day.
Overall I would say this is a great evening time strain especially if you don't want to do much with great pain revealing and muscle relaxing properties and would be a great sleep aid. I probably would not suggest it for a daytime session or if you have any plans that involve a lot of physical activity but very nice to just hang around and zone out for a little while. I would recommend this to anyone seeking a very strong and heavy kava on the lower end of the spectrum or those seeking pain relief or muscle relaxation. Would be great after a long day of strenuous physical activity.
Vendor description:
Our Gourmet Kadavu Waka is 100% medium grind lateral kava roots, dried by the radiant Fijian sun. The waka is sourced from Kadavu where the climate conditions are just right to produce the most potent kava of Fiji.
Our farmer has advised that his Kadavu Waka primarily consists of a variety known as Damu in Fiji. This kava is quite bitter tasting and produces a darker colored beverage. It is labeled as gourmet because the plants are 5+ years old. The Gourmet Kadavu Waka is the heaviest of all Fijian kavas and is significantly potent making it best for weekend krunking.
Chemotype: 246513
Kavalactone %: 12.7%
Retail Price: $54.95/16oz
Shipping & Packaging:
This was purchased as part of the KavaTime Baby Mix sampler. Shipping was quick; 2 business days door to door. Shipping was out of Florida. The products came in a small brown box which is a nice change of pace from the standard envelope and much less prone to accidents I would imagine. For those concerned with discretion the name Kava Time was present on the package. The product itself was adequately secured by a sturdy piece of brown packing paper on both the top and bottom of the package.
Inside was a sealed bag bearing the Kava Time logo as well as the name of the product, supplement facts, preparation instructions, and notes about the company. Inside of that were 3 non-resealable bags, made of a strong plastic that is unlikely to tear, each with a sticker denoting the type. The fact that the smaller bags are not resealable may be an issue for some because if you do not use the entire package at once you will have to transfer to a different container or employ some kind of clip. Personally, I always immediately transfer all of my kava to a separate container once I receive it.
Overall I think the packaging is perfectly fine and the labels are nice. The only thing I would note is that I think the serving size could be represented a bit better. The directions say to use 2 heaping tablespoons which they equate to 1oz. While I prefer measuring by weight instead of volume due to its inaccuracies I would like to see the 2 heaping tablespoons changed to 4 level tablespoons(roughly equivalent to the 1oz stated per serving size) since its much more repeatable.
Weight:
Advertised Weight 3oz(85g) Received 84.33g Bag weight: 1.47g Sticker weight: 1.68g Total bag weight: 3.15g Overall weight: 86.59g
One large chunk weighing .37g
Appearance and Scent:
Very dark in appearance, by far the darkest of the three, medium brown in color. The grind appears slightly more coarse than the Savusavu and about the same as the Beqa's but still on the finer side for medium grind with some medium sized chunks and one large chunk. The scent is very strong and woody.
The prepared grog is dark and oily, reminiscent of melted milk chocolate with a strong woody and peppery aroma.
Taste:
Definitely the strongest tasting of the bunch with a very pronounced kava taste, though still not off putting and drinkable, and a heavy numbing effect.
Dosage and MOP:
25g of kava with 450ml of 170F RO water using the "Cactus Method" and kneaded in an 80 micron bag for 15 minutes and drank in 150ml "shells" every 10 minutes. Second wash was done but not used.
Onset:
Onset was very slow with initial effects becoming noticeable at about the 40 minute mark. Peak and onset were at virtually the same time with little time between the effects being felt and coming on full force.
Duration:
Peak duration was very long about 3.5 to 4 hours before beginning to noticeably fade. Heavy sedation continued throughout the evening along with mild euphoria and muscle relaxation.
Effects and Final Thoughts:
This one is definitely a creeper but worth the wait. There was no onset or easing you into it. I went from wondering when something was going to happen to a full blown krunk out of nowhere. The effects were very strong but not overwhelming. There was some headiness but mostly heavy body load, sedation, and analgesia with a fair amount of euphoria and great muscle relaxing properties. If I had wanted to I could have went to sleep at any point but I never felt like I had to. The peak duration was also extremely long, probably one of the longest I have had, and even after the bulk of the effects began to subside there was still a fair amount of sedation and body load with a general feeling of well being for several hours afterwards. Sleep came very easily and was restful with no effects the next day.
Overall I would say this is a great evening time strain especially if you don't want to do much with great pain revealing and muscle relaxing properties and would be a great sleep aid. I probably would not suggest it for a daytime session or if you have any plans that involve a lot of physical activity but very nice to just hang around and zone out for a little while. I would recommend this to anyone seeking a very strong and heavy kava on the lower end of the spectrum or those seeking pain relief or muscle relaxation. Would be great after a long day of strenuous physical activity.
