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Powdered Kava Palarasul Traditional Grind Single Cultivar Kava

TheKavaSociety

New Zealand
Kava Vendor
A single cultivar kava of a heady character. Palarasul has long had a reputation for being one of the most pleasant and mentally refreshing kava cultivars of Vanuatu. Originally from the North of the country, Palarasul is among the three favourite varieties consumed at Vanuatu’s nakamals (kava bars). Unlike the other two (Borogu and Melo Melo), it is much more difficult to find, in part because it is harder to grow, and in part because almost all of it is consumed within the very areas in which it’s been grown for generations. Its appeal as a perfect nakamal kava is obvious: it’s a smooth, creamy kava with a clearly euphoric and pleasant character. It’s easy to drink and suitable for both relaxed socialising, creative thinking and relieving of mental fatigue. In our view, it is certainly the most enjoyable of the three varieties popular among Vanuatu’s kava bar patrons. This is also backed by science as Palarasul enjoys a higher ratio of kavain and dihydrokavain to dihydromethysticin than most other varieties found in Vanuatu. The high presence of dihydrokavain likely mellows out and slightly prolongs the heady character of this kava.

Despite these attractive features, few people have been able to offer it as a single cultivar kava outside of Vanuatu. This is partly due to the above-mentioned lack of supply, but also because of the difficulty with visually distinguishing between Palarasul and a couple of other varieties once they are cut and dried. During our recent trip to Vanuatu, we made an effort to personally secure a few mature (apx 6 year old) plants to offer them as a single cultivar product for our and your enjoment. The first batch was so popular that we made an effort to find some more plants. It took us a lot of effort and time - some of the gardens with the finest plants happen to be located higher up the mountains, surrounded by thick, ancient forest and with no easy access (think: mountains covered by clouds, no sealed roads, plenty of mud, thick vegetation, confusing directions and the journey must be completed within a day, as we want to make sure the kava is cleaned and dry soon after harvest). Once you try this kava, we are pretty sure you will appreciate these efforts, but also will understand why this cultivar is worth the extra work.

The kava has a soft, creamy, slightly cashewy and grassy flavours with relatively little bitterness coupled with a slightly spicy aftertaste. As always, we made an extra effort to meticulously clean and peel every single root to improve the taste and texture.

In order to present this plant in its full glory, we are offering it at the natural ratio of around 60-70% stump to 40-30% lateral roots. This is how nature made it and we think she did a pretty good job.

Average chemotype: 423156
 
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