I made a special order for whole roots to experiment with masticating kava, even though that process is meant for fresh, and to ascertain any difference in potency between pre-ground kava and dried whole roots. This being the case, my review is not entirely reflective of the pre-powdered kava available from Kavafied.
Chewing dry root is quite laborious, inefficient and not really recommended. I only did it to satisfy a desire to make a kava beverage as close to a traditional fresh kava as possible and because enzymes in your saliva are said to increase the extraction of kavalactones. These new whole roots were definitely packed with more kavalactone resin than I would normally get from dry kava, but it actually turned out to work against me. Kneadeding this kava in hot water actually extracted p u r e sticky kavalactones to a degree I have never seen. My entire bowl and strainer were completely covered in the stickiest, sappy, tar-like kavalactone resin after I was done kneading. The problem with that is, it was so sticky much of it didn't make it's way into my actual beverage. Upon vigorously scraping my bowl with a spoon and rounding up balls of pure kavalactone paste, I can say this extract was pure numbing kava potency. Mushing them around in my mouth was full blown novocain with an immediate hit of kava headiness.
As for root and beverage itself, the root has a surprisingly zesty, sparkly, herbal Melanesian scent, compared most Tongan roots I've had. The flavor, however, still turned out to be relatively mild and quick to dissipate, compared to what the scent may have suggested, as Tongan kavas usually are.
The effect of the kava (without including my accidentally created extract resin) was a very classic Tongan feel. The focus is largely on clear minded headiness, light and easy on the stomach, very easy to socialize with and just a step toward the spacier balanced direction on the kava spectrum. A pleasant and natural feeling mood lift with only minor sedation and no real extremes in any direction...unless you scoop the resin out of the bowl, in which case you get blasted with a clean loose eye'd head rush of kava bliss.
As far as I can tell, this kava would be perfectly suited for those people who ask "where can I still get Fu'u?", "When will Pouni Ono be back?" ...it's very much inline with those Tongan favorites. I personally respond better to Vanuatu kava in most cases, so Kava Supreme is still my personal preference.
Chewing dry root is quite laborious, inefficient and not really recommended. I only did it to satisfy a desire to make a kava beverage as close to a traditional fresh kava as possible and because enzymes in your saliva are said to increase the extraction of kavalactones. These new whole roots were definitely packed with more kavalactone resin than I would normally get from dry kava, but it actually turned out to work against me. Kneadeding this kava in hot water actually extracted p u r e sticky kavalactones to a degree I have never seen. My entire bowl and strainer were completely covered in the stickiest, sappy, tar-like kavalactone resin after I was done kneading. The problem with that is, it was so sticky much of it didn't make it's way into my actual beverage. Upon vigorously scraping my bowl with a spoon and rounding up balls of pure kavalactone paste, I can say this extract was pure numbing kava potency. Mushing them around in my mouth was full blown novocain with an immediate hit of kava headiness.
As for root and beverage itself, the root has a surprisingly zesty, sparkly, herbal Melanesian scent, compared most Tongan roots I've had. The flavor, however, still turned out to be relatively mild and quick to dissipate, compared to what the scent may have suggested, as Tongan kavas usually are.
The effect of the kava (without including my accidentally created extract resin) was a very classic Tongan feel. The focus is largely on clear minded headiness, light and easy on the stomach, very easy to socialize with and just a step toward the spacier balanced direction on the kava spectrum. A pleasant and natural feeling mood lift with only minor sedation and no real extremes in any direction...unless you scoop the resin out of the bowl, in which case you get blasted with a clean loose eye'd head rush of kava bliss.
As far as I can tell, this kava would be perfectly suited for those people who ask "where can I still get Fu'u?", "When will Pouni Ono be back?" ...it's very much inline with those Tongan favorites. I personally respond better to Vanuatu kava in most cases, so Kava Supreme is still my personal preference.
