A long time ago (say, in February of 2009) I made the spontaneous decision to start a blog that reviewed Kava. I more or less just started it because I was looking for something exactly like it - and couldn't find it. Buying Kava shouldn't be stressful, so that's why I decided to try every Kava available and review it on one easy-to-navigate website. Even I consult my own website when making purchasing decisions. Well, today the website hit the 30,000 hit mark. In honor of this quite arbitrary anniversary, I have decided to mix up some Wow! Kava and revisit it a year later. These revisits are going to roll out on a semi-regular basis, as my Kava drinking has become more nuanced and my review strategies have changed. So consider this the first series of re-reviews that will roll out along with new reviews.
I can't remember how I originally ranked Wow! Kava, but I remember it being quite high. I also vividly remember the night that I first tried it - I became so krunked that I literally couldn't coordinate my hands on my keyboard. It was one of the only times I have ever downed enough Kava to feel sick. I got into a friends car to go out to dinner and had to say "woah man, turn around." Needless to say, I sobered up and wrote my review over a bowl the next day. In retrospect, I do remember using that 2:1 ratio that I look back on now as being preposterous
I must say that, though I appreciated the flavor of Wow! Kava the first time around, I didn't appreciate it enough. Compared to so many other Kavas, this stuff just melts in your mouth. It tastes as light and smooth as Malekula Magic but with an added sweetness to it. It has this bright, powerful white hue to it that looks more like a White Chocolate Mocha than a shell of freshly brewed Kava. Not much pepper or any other kind of spicy notes to this brew. It has more of a cashewy, thick, creamy flavor that makes you want to drink more. A truly one-of-a-kind Nakamal at Home Kava that keeps them at the very top of the Kava game. Let's all raise our shells to Nakamal at Home and say, Bula!
As for the effects, they still kick my ass. Now that I have a mental/body addition to my ranking, I can explore both of those angles. This Kava is very stimulating, with more of a calming *high* that perks you up a bit. On an empty stomach, I can reasonably say that Wow! has one of the most desirable feelings you can find in Kava. Significantly less "stony" than Solomon (which to me has become a gold standard for hypnotic, mind expanding Kavas) but not as driving and over-the-top as Chief's Jungle. The first time I drank this stuff I remember sitting on the couch and getting clammy hands and actually sweating a little bit. That was, of course, on the 2:1 mix. Tonight I am sitting quite relaxed, typing this out after three shells and enjoying some music. However, my mind feels quite washed over, cleansed, and sharp. I am able to focus my thoughts and, even after a day of jumping from one task to the other, just think about how much I love this Kava. How could you argue with that? I think I'll have another shell.
Being an every-other-day jogger, I often get a little soreness in my legs. I especially had it earlier today. Now, not so much. This Kava works for a great body high. I do have to say, however, that it is not nearly as potent in that respect as I remember. The first time I drank this stuff, I could barely stand up after drinking it. There is a strong possibility that it is getting a bit stale. But now that I've had another shell (the one I said I was going to drink in the last paragraph) I am beginning to float a little bit and lose some control over my limbs. Yup, there it is. Hahaha. Wow!!
Taste - 10/10
Effect (Mind) - 9.75/10
Effect (Body) - 9.5/10
Strength - Strong-Very Strong
Nakamal at Home's Wow! Kava - 9.75/10
You know you've had some good kava when you can feel it in your eyes. When your eyes feel heavy and stony and like two content marbles nestled in your head. They say that eyes are the doorway to your mind... Oh wait, maybe they don't say that. Well, I say that.
ReplyDeleteThe hallucinogenic properties of kava are completely off the record. My personal guess is that it's mostly a relaxation of the eye muscles causing the mind to "guess" at what the unexpected input is. For example, reading your review, the waves on the background picture started moving. After about five shells or so of any kava, watching a Doctor Who reconstruction adds the impression that any scene I'm looking at is one in which the actors have JUST stopped moving, although reconstructions are somewhere around 98% slide-shows. (BBC burned most of the original episodes, thinking no one would ever possibly want to see them again).
ReplyDeleteI would say that the effect is not a hallucination at all, but rather an enhancement of "trompe l'oeil" due to physical relaxation, although if any researchers want to feed me massive amounts of kava, I'd be willing to put that to an fMRI test.
If you drink a really strong Kava and then just sit still - almost like you are going to meditate - you can sometimes really embrace its hallucinatory properties. I did quite a lot of hallucinogens when I was younger, and I wouldn't compare Kava to any of those. But it comes pretty close on the spiritual exploration.
ReplyDeleteNice blog post. At first glance at the title, I was thinking no way is this his 30,000th shell.
ReplyDeleteOne of my all time favorites, congrats by the way great blog.
ReplyDeleteHappy 30,000th anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHere's something you might want to try...
ReplyDeleteTry using the Kava By Rex instructions, but taking Nakamal@home at face value by using 1/2 cup of WOW for a full gallon of water. I suspect from the fineness of the grind and the lightness of the color that it is processed just as well as WOW is, but it would be interesting to try.
My question is why haven't you tried the other Hawaiiankava center's other kava flavors if you liked Hiwa why don't you try the others
ReplyDelete? ...like tuday? what made you decide to not try tuday after rating hiwa #1 on your list?
So many reasons. Mostly because every time I have tried to contact them I haven't heard back. I had to write the Hiwa review based on what their website stated. I have a good relationship with many of the vendors, and try to set up deals so I can review their different Kavas at reduced prices. This is a "not-for-profit" blog that gets an insignificant income from ads ($10 a month at most). Kava, on the other hand, is very expensive. I would happily review their other varieties if I could acquire them for cheaper than $35.00/lb. I don't have any bias towards vendors who do cut me deals, but you are more likely to see their Kavas reviewed here for reasons of access.
ReplyDeleteHello. I came across this blog after searching "WoW! Kava reviews". Im very glad i found it. I just tried Wow! Kava for the first time after using Kona Kava's kava for 4-5 years. The instructions for Wow! was that it wasnt for new kava drinkers. I have been taking double sometimes tripple doses of Kona's kava for sometime so i figured i was ready for the Wow!. lol i LOVE it. everyone is right when they say its powerful. As far as the preperation im very impatient. I used the "toss N wash" method that i use with Kratom. Just out it in my mouth, add water, swish around and swallow. This way you get ALL the kava. STRONG! I mix mine with Meung Da kratom. Meung Da is to kratom what WoW! is to kava. the best and strongest. these two mixed will take you up to walk in heaven and back down to dance with the devil. lol
ReplyDelete