'Opihikao Medium Grind
'Opihikao is another one of my favorite Hawai'ian 'awas, it's not currently available on the @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava website, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were to show up in the next next couple months or so.
In modern times, this cultivar was found growing in an old kava patch near the 'Opihikao ridge area on the big island of Hawai'i, hence it's current name; 'Opihikao. Other names you will see occasionally are Spotted Hiwa or Hiwa Pu'u Pu'u. (Pu'u Pu'u describing the bumpy spots on the stalks.)
Last year I tried batches of both the Hiwa and 'Opihikao soon after each other and noted their similarities. However, 'Opihikao edged out the Hiwa since it seemed to correct some of the minor negatives I felt that the Hiwa had at the time. This year, I've now tried the new batches of Hiwa and 'Opihikao and pretty much feel the same way. However, while I still find them to be very similar to how I felt about them last year, this time around I found the Hiwa to be a little more pleasant and closer to the 'Opihikao effect.
Despite the Hiwa being more 'Opihikao-like to me this year, I still found myself favoring the 'Opihikao a little bit more. These two kavas might be a bit on the bitter side, compared to most Hawai'ian kava, but 'Opihikao is a bit more mild and therefor preferable. Also, the 'Opihikao mental effect is more prominent than the Hiwa, in a more pleasurable and dreamier way. They both have a certain kind of heaviness to them, but Hiwa tends to be a bit heavier and more sedating. I consider this to be different than the usual 245xxx chemotype style of heaviness, but pretty close for a Polynesian kava.
In general, so far, this one has shown itself to be one of my favorite and most effective Hawaiian roots. Reasonably strong, a nice balance of the spectrum of kava effects and a great anxiolytic. When I returned from my trip to Vanuatu, I had a hard time getting these dry powders to work anywhere as well as the fresh kava I had been drinking, but this one was the first one to break me out of the spell and show me good, full effects from dry powder again. Since then, I've been able to enjoy a few new ones.
In modern times, this cultivar was found growing in an old kava patch near the 'Opihikao ridge area on the big island of Hawai'i, hence it's current name; 'Opihikao. Other names you will see occasionally are Spotted Hiwa or Hiwa Pu'u Pu'u. (Pu'u Pu'u describing the bumpy spots on the stalks.)
Last year I tried batches of both the Hiwa and 'Opihikao soon after each other and noted their similarities. However, 'Opihikao edged out the Hiwa since it seemed to correct some of the minor negatives I felt that the Hiwa had at the time. This year, I've now tried the new batches of Hiwa and 'Opihikao and pretty much feel the same way. However, while I still find them to be very similar to how I felt about them last year, this time around I found the Hiwa to be a little more pleasant and closer to the 'Opihikao effect.
Despite the Hiwa being more 'Opihikao-like to me this year, I still found myself favoring the 'Opihikao a little bit more. These two kavas might be a bit on the bitter side, compared to most Hawai'ian kava, but 'Opihikao is a bit more mild and therefor preferable. Also, the 'Opihikao mental effect is more prominent than the Hiwa, in a more pleasurable and dreamier way. They both have a certain kind of heaviness to them, but Hiwa tends to be a bit heavier and more sedating. I consider this to be different than the usual 245xxx chemotype style of heaviness, but pretty close for a Polynesian kava.
In general, so far, this one has shown itself to be one of my favorite and most effective Hawaiian roots. Reasonably strong, a nice balance of the spectrum of kava effects and a great anxiolytic. When I returned from my trip to Vanuatu, I had a hard time getting these dry powders to work anywhere as well as the fresh kava I had been drinking, but this one was the first one to break me out of the spell and show me good, full effects from dry powder again. Since then, I've been able to enjoy a few new ones.
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I'm not sure I can wrap my mind around something so glorious:
