So I was delighted to try not only a new Vanuatu Kava, but a new Kava vendor. I had heard great things about "Kava by Rex." One of these great things included being able to brew 16 oz. of grog with only a tablespoon. Wait, really? Yes. Indeed.
I know I say this a lot, but this Kava tastes really great. Owing to its totally different consistency from other Kavas available on the market - once again, 16 ounces of water to 1 tablespoon of Kava - it is slightly lighter, milkier, and creamier. No really spiciness to it, nor grittiness. But it also has a complete taste, and doesn't taste like "watered-down" Kava. It has a very "soft" taste which temps the drinker into making the somewhat presumptuous decision to drink a lot of it. I drank about six shells, pushing myself to make the not-too-difficult decision to brew a second bowl.
But the best thing about this Kava is that it didn't really get me krunked. It just got me.. well... happy. After all, it had been a long day, and I deserved it, right? I... think.. I'll.... have.... another....
Well, nevermind that. Maybe I was krunked after all. My legs felt quite heavy, nay, like two heavy logs attached to my thighs. My eyes felt deep, strong, and acute. My muscles felt warm, un-coiled and massaged. My mind grew steadily more relaxed. I was able to really enjoy the book I was reading on the post-colonial Congo (don't ask) with a nice rumbling jazz soundtrack to guide the narrative along. Shell after shell, I grew more and more content. About three hours later I was able to crawl into bed, put on some music, and become enveloped in great warmth.
This is really good Kava.
Really, at $25.00 a pound and 1 tablespoon to 16 ounces of water, how could you refuse?
Kava by Rex - Vanuatu 3 Special Edition
Taste 9/10
Effect (Mind) - 9.5/10
Effect (Body) - 10/10
Strength - Medium-Strong
Vanuatu 3 Special Edition - 9.5 shells out of 10
Indeed, Vanuatu3 is amazing. This review is spot on. I have been drinking it for the past few nights and it's got a wonderful effect, milky consistency, and mild taste. Before i've even finished a bowl i'm full of happiness, joy, and relaxation—it's truly great kava.
ReplyDeleteHello Douglas,
ReplyDeleteAt the rate you were making this kava (1tbsp to 16oz), Was one 16oz batch enough to get you well krunked? Or did you have to brew up a 2nd batch? I just ordered some from this vendor after seeing your review, as 1tbsp to 16oz is a great way to enjoy kava on a low budget. I would love for this stuff to get me off like nakamal at home varieties do, and by the looks of your review, it will :). By the way, I ALWAYS come to your site and check your reviews before ordering kava. Call me a follower, but your reviews are really good and give me a overall understanding of what to expect. Thanks again
Use two tablespoons to get krunked. Or, if you want to spread it out and enjoy it more, make four cups with two tablespoons. You will definitely get krunked on two tablespoons either way. It is, indeed, a truly great value.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! I cant wait to try it! And I cant wait to see your review for the Tudei kava haha. I want to see if it actually lasts 2 days, as it says.
ReplyDeleteFour cups with two tablespoons is how I normally brew Tongan kava. Well, two to five tablespoons, depending on my krunkness level.
ReplyDeleteAs I said in another review, Im testing to see if Rex's kava will work the nakamal way. Im doing 3/4 cup of stone with 1 tbs of Vanatu3 with 4 - 4 1/2 cups of water. I will let you know how it goes, as im still krunked off solomans, its been a good 3 hours :D:D:D
ReplyDeleteOkay, note to the kava test, 3/4 stone + 1 tbs Vanautu3 = good stuff. I really enjoy it! Recommend this combo to anyway who has some stone laying around, it really sets it off nice!
ReplyDeleteHi Patrick, I plan on mixing solomon and van3 in the future. So far I haven't found a good combo with stone, don't get me wrong, I love stone. I tried the stone + wow and stone + solomon, neither was the super combo I was hoping for. On the other had I tried solomon + moi and solomon + hiwa which were just ok.
ReplyDeleteyou should get kickbacks... i just bought 2 pounds.
ReplyDeleteso i came across another site saying there is a different batch of this out as of a week ago or so i was wondering if u happen to know anything about this still probably order it seeing as everyone seems to love it and the value is insane thanks much love ur reviews
ReplyDeleteIt is not a different batch, it is from the same small batch that all Vanuatu 3 comes from. I have talked to the folks at Kava by Rex and they told me they have three plots of Vanuatu 3 and they are all five year plants. While the quality of the product is consistent, sometimes the 60/40 lateral root/heart root breakdown is a little different. There should be no noticeable differences. I am not affiliated with Kava by Rex, by the way. I was sent an email clarifying the situation. As per my experience, all of the products I have received from them I have purchased independently and always received a very high quality product. Everyone else I know who orders from them has had a similar experience. As I said, they seem to be the new game and town and I can assure you that in my kava drinking experience, Kava by Rex has provided me with some of the best DRIED Kava root available online.
ReplyDeletethanks much man, i ordered today no doubt in my mind ill be satisfied
ReplyDeleteWell tonight i made a batch 2 cups of water to 2 tbsps and I must say it is excellent. I just think I watered it down too much with the 4 cups. I just checked kava by rex and they is sold out! probably 90% of the cause is you, Douglas :D
ReplyDeleteHow does Vanuatu 3 by Rex compare to Nakamal's Black Sand?
ReplyDelete...or Stone?
ReplyDeleteVanuatu3 has alot of kavain in it, and I think so does black sand, but vanuatu3 is much stronger. Stone has the DKM/DHM in it which gets you krunked in a different way. Kavain is by far my favorite kavalactone.
ReplyDeleteis this as potent as nakamal at home's stone kava? i want a kava that is potent and will actually make me feel dizzy and stuff. i tried kona kava witch didnt do to much of anything.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review, and this great blog! The only downside to this blog, is I just spent about $140 on 4 varieties, and 3 pounds of Kava! (A good deal, but way morek Kava than I was planning to get)
ReplyDeleteI ordered the Vanuatu 3 from Kava by Rex; Hiwa from Hawaiian Kava Center; and Wow and Stone from Nakamal at Home.
Kavasseur, may I request that you please review the Kava from realkava.com. This is the only other Kava I've tried, and I liked it, but I would like to see your review for comparison. They seem like a good company, the guy I spoke with was friendly, and they only have 2 varieties of whole Kava(Vanuatu and Fiji, 'awa' grade), so it seems worth reviewing.
Thanks!
I just received my order of vanautu3 and I plan on trying it tonight. I simply can't wait. I also ordered the Raw Hawaiian Honey & Lemon and Hawaiian Chocolate & Orange from Paradise, due to another review on this website. I can't wait to try my first dose of kava.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the volume of the 500g package looked like 250g. But the weight is ok. If I use exactly 10 gramms (which is normally a full tablespoon), it fills nly a half tablespoon. Si I am wondering if this Kava might have a residual damp.
ReplyDeleteok, I mean the 1 pound package looked small like 1/2 a pound.
ReplyDeleteWoW
ReplyDeletethis kava is currently kicking my ass, more so than I though kava could even do. Its intense as shit, and id say similar to booze, I feel "krunked" but at the level I'm feelin, im not feeling dizzy, sick, or anything.
Ive had 2 cups, made with 5 tbsp, the same kava used for both cups (doublestrained that bitch)
I reccomend this all day!