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Powdered Kava Review Nambawan

Myk

Kava Enthusiast
Been a while since I had this, because it was sold out for a while. Very heady makes me want to jam and I will before I drink the second wash.Very heady stuff. Not much on the sedating scale but that's the way I like it! Taste was fairly gruesome as kava this strong usually is. It tastes like a good time and certainly fulfilled that promise , I love it! Presently regretting not ordering sooner. Returning from a quick jam had to edit this kava is awesome. I guess I'll drink the 2nd wash now. The 2nd wash kind of fleshed out the first wash more relaxing still quite heady but definitely feeling more body with the 2nd wash . I wouldn't call it sedating but it is more chill, still has that creative energy though.
 
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Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Hm, not what I expected. Thanks. This one's on the way, so I'm curious.

Seems like nangol hit people very differently, too. I wonder if there's a chemo type explanation with these kinds of root?
 

Bula Kava House

Portland, OR
Kava Vendor
Kava Bar Owner
well, mine came today and I'm shelling it now and I found it the same as you did. Excellent review.

Only thing I'd add is that if you like this kind of thing, the flavour is excellent, distinctive, special, powerful.
I've tried a lot of kavas and Nambawan is hands down the best tasting kava that I've had, outside of some fresh root kava in Vanuatu and Hawaii. Flavor-wise, it's as close to fresh root kava as you can get out of a powder.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I've tried a lot of kavas and Nambawan is hands down the best tasting kava that I've had, outside of some fresh root kava in Vanuatu and Hawaii. Flavor-wise, it's as close to fresh root kava as you can get out of a powder.
When I opened the bag today I was amazed at the freshness, how it looked and smelled and tasted. I don't know if this is an illusion, but it seems to me like the freshest grind I've ever had. The nangol wasn't far off, either in freshness or quality of flavour. I will say this, smelling the grog as I swish it around in the shell, it's probably the best smelling prepped grog I've ever encountered, and there's a lot of tough contenders out there, including nangol. It's tempting to just sit here with my nose in the glass just inhaling the bouquet. It's really really nice, deep, rich, pure, and that something that I know what it is but doesn't have a name, like what great kava must have smelled like 3 thousand years ago, something magical and also very ancient and special. The word "Vanuatu-ey" only barely covers it. Nangol also has that quality, though they smell and taste distinct from each other.

Sweet and smoked (not smoky) and buttery and nutty all at the same time. That's the closest I can get.

One thing's for sure, with nambawan and nangol and kula, that's three absolutely monster kavas right there.
 
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Myk

Kava Enthusiast
It is a very rich flavor... rich sticks brewed in decadent mud drank from a gourmet pepper shaker. ;) . It sure taste better after the first shell hits . My personal favorite was the Fu'u , pretty close to skim milk but the kavas I like , the potent heady ones are pretty much drank as fast as possible and tasted as little as possible for me.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
It is a very rich flavor... rich sticks brewed in decadent mud drank from a gourmet pepper shaker. ;) . It sure taste better after the first shell hits . My personal favorite was the Fu'u , pretty close to skim milk but the kavas I like , the potent heady ones are pretty much drank as fast as possible and tasted as little as possible for me.
Squanch tastes like licking your shoes after a marathon. Taste isn't everything. But when something tastes good that does add a bit.
 

Myk

Kava Enthusiast
Squanch tastes like licking your shoes after a marathon. Taste isn't everything. But when something tastes good that does add a bit.
I did notice an almost skunky quality in this last batch of Squanch waka , I hadn't noticed before. Just enough to make interesting. BKH could flavor Nambawan with dog poo and I'd still drink all I could get my hands on but I am glad you guys enjoy the taste. What I wonder is if you always enjoyed the taste of kava or did you acquire the taste for kava ?
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I did notice an almost skunky quality in this last batch of Squanch waka , I hadn't noticed before. Just enough to make interesting. BKH could flavor Nambawan with dog poo and I'd still drink all I could get my hands on but I am glad you guys enjoy the taste. What I wonder is if you always enjoyed the taste of kava or did you acquire the taste for kava ?
It just happened to me, suddenly, went from hating it to loving it. I think weakish grog with lots if ice did the trick.

Also, ice helps with the hydration.
 
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superspeedkit

Kava Curious
I've tried a lot of kavas and Nambawan is hands down the best tasting kava that I've had, outside of some fresh root kava in Vanuatu and Hawaii. Flavor-wise, it's as close to fresh root kava as you can get out of a powder.
Just opened and tried mine last night and I can confirm (though I've never had fresh root). I've never cared too much about the flavor, but man. Of the upwards of 2 dozen kavas I've tried, this one is in a league of its own. It also gives me an immediate tingling all the way to my toes that I've previously only experienced with stone. Felt really clean this morning with one of the nicest afterglow effects in recent memory too.
 
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