Paradise Kava’s new Borogu blend presents a new take on Kava
milling and dried root consistency. The root is imported whole from Pentecost
Island in Vanuatu, transported to a state-side facility, cleaned, and milled
down to a very fine product. I mention this because when you squeeze this
stuff, it almost feels like you are squeezing instant Kava. In other words,
make sure you are scooping the Kava into the sieve while it is already in the
water. Otherwise, you will loose precious root to the countertops and floors.
It is the finest-milled Kava I have ever squeezed. According to Adil, this
chain of processing ensures that the Kava is pure and free of impurities. There
have been some issues with Kava processing centers in the south Pacific and
impurities.
This Kava comes in beautiful new packaging – a white bag
with Paradise Kava’s striking new label. I like how Adil has messed with the
design of the product over the years. It keeps things really fresh and
interesting.
I brewed my Borogu with about four heaping tablespoons of
dried root to about one litre of water. The color was a milk chocolate hue,
though it was deceivingly thick (this is my doing, not Paradise Kava’s). Thus,
the flavor had a distinctive earthy taste and went down like a truck. That
being said, I tried a two tablespoon/litre ratio after my first batch and had a
much more enjoyable Kava with nutty undertones and a smooth consistency. It is
still definitely a Vanuatu Kava. I could drink Tongans and Fijians all day –
like they were cranberry juice – but I would never go to Borogu for
refreshment.
This stuff tastes really pure. It is clean and heady and
provides a good kick to the head and body without any hints of nausea. To be
honest, I overdid it a bit. Five tablespoons of squeezed Kava actually kept me
up until pretty late at night. I got a bit creative and started working on some
stuff that I had planned for the following day. If you are writing, working on
projects, or doing other kinds of productive activities, this might be a good
Kava to consider. Also, I think it would fit a Kava party quite nicely.
This Kava squeezes through your muscles quite nicely. I did
some jogging for the first time in a couple years yesterday (I couldn’t jog in
Ethiopia, because the children would throw stones at me – I know, weird) and
the soreness dissipated after my third shell of Borogu. The level of relaxation
is reflected in the level of mouth numbness that it brings on.
To summarize, Borogu is a heady and
productivity/socializing-oriented Kava with a pretty heavy body effect. The new
milling approach makes for an interesting squeezing session which you should be
aware of when you make this stuff. No need to lose precious Kava to dirty
countertop surfaces!
- Kavasseur
