I found it at the bottom of my latest GHK kava shipment. It was lying there inconspicuously, almost as if somebody (Chris) put it there by accident. A small, golden bag with a few hand-written words: "Sample New Instant 'Nene'". The top of the bag was ripped by the bio security inspectors who themselves might have been surprised by this little bag's presence among solid sacks of medium grind and micronized awas.
While I was grateful to Chris for his gift, I must say I was also a bit skeptical. I've tried several different instants and have always thought that while they might taste OK, the effects do not compare to medium grind, not to mention micronized. So,without expecting too much, I played some joyful fusion folk music to accompany me on this journey.
I added roughly 1.5 teaspoons of powder into a cup of water. I drank it quickly and then prepared another cup. I drank it a bit more slowly and while I was pouring it into my body I noticed how smooth and mild tasting it was. Far smoother than most kavas I had tried. I didn't even think about any chasers, this kava was so easy to drink. For a moment I thought I simply didn't add enough powder, but then it hit me. The first wave of relaxation smashed me in the face and went all the way down to my toes. I sat down and slowly prepared a third cup. I ate some ginger and contemplated the effects. Was it a heavy or a heady punch? A bit of both. My mind and my head started feeling heavy and content. My body relaxed and while I was drifting towards pleasant sedation I could also feel gentle waves of euphoria touching my face. I didn't feel too sleepy, but I would have definitely fallen asleep if I had wanted to. Instead, I drank another cup and swam farther and deeper into the open ocean of kava relaxation. It reminded me of Opihikao. Perhaps a slightly weaker opihikao, but also one that is easier to drink. I tried nene once before (micronized) and while it was strong and very relaxing, I thought that when it comes to heavier hawaiian kavas, it was not as interesting as Opihikao.This new "instant" form adds a lot of attractiveness to this surprising cultivar.
Suddenly the joyful music started sounding too loud and too irritating. I slowly turned it down and found one of my favorite kava-songs:
As I listed to Alan Watts' voice I was feeling the effects of this nene spreading across my entire body. I could feel every muscle and it felt great.
Generally, it's a fantastic kava. While perhaps too sedating for parties/social gatherings, it's great for lonely journeys into the world of kava and for quiet evenings at home. It is also best instant I've ever head. In short, it offers potency, convenience and mild taste. While I might still prefer micronized (because of potency) or medium grind (because of price and my personal love for the ritual), I think this instant would be a perfect option for those who want a great combination of convenience, potency and smoothness. I cannot imagine how this kava could give anyone nausea, it's so mild..
Gourmet Hawaiian Kava - you mentioned that this instant is "new" and "stronger" - is it because of some new production technique or because the plant itself?
I might need to talk to you about adding such instants to my society's stockpile
While I was grateful to Chris for his gift, I must say I was also a bit skeptical. I've tried several different instants and have always thought that while they might taste OK, the effects do not compare to medium grind, not to mention micronized. So,without expecting too much, I played some joyful fusion folk music to accompany me on this journey.
I added roughly 1.5 teaspoons of powder into a cup of water. I drank it quickly and then prepared another cup. I drank it a bit more slowly and while I was pouring it into my body I noticed how smooth and mild tasting it was. Far smoother than most kavas I had tried. I didn't even think about any chasers, this kava was so easy to drink. For a moment I thought I simply didn't add enough powder, but then it hit me. The first wave of relaxation smashed me in the face and went all the way down to my toes. I sat down and slowly prepared a third cup. I ate some ginger and contemplated the effects. Was it a heavy or a heady punch? A bit of both. My mind and my head started feeling heavy and content. My body relaxed and while I was drifting towards pleasant sedation I could also feel gentle waves of euphoria touching my face. I didn't feel too sleepy, but I would have definitely fallen asleep if I had wanted to. Instead, I drank another cup and swam farther and deeper into the open ocean of kava relaxation. It reminded me of Opihikao. Perhaps a slightly weaker opihikao, but also one that is easier to drink. I tried nene once before (micronized) and while it was strong and very relaxing, I thought that when it comes to heavier hawaiian kavas, it was not as interesting as Opihikao.This new "instant" form adds a lot of attractiveness to this surprising cultivar.
Suddenly the joyful music started sounding too loud and too irritating. I slowly turned it down and found one of my favorite kava-songs:
As I listed to Alan Watts' voice I was feeling the effects of this nene spreading across my entire body. I could feel every muscle and it felt great.
Generally, it's a fantastic kava. While perhaps too sedating for parties/social gatherings, it's great for lonely journeys into the world of kava and for quiet evenings at home. It is also best instant I've ever head. In short, it offers potency, convenience and mild taste. While I might still prefer micronized (because of potency) or medium grind (because of price and my personal love for the ritual), I think this instant would be a perfect option for those who want a great combination of convenience, potency and smoothness. I cannot imagine how this kava could give anyone nausea, it's so mild..
Gourmet Hawaiian Kava - you mentioned that this instant is "new" and "stronger" - is it because of some new production technique or because the plant itself?
I might need to talk to you about adding such instants to my society's stockpile
