As a newcomer to Gourmet Hawaiian Kava, my expectations have been built up in an unparalleled fashion. They have been celebrated for taking a kind of revolutionary approach to ensuring a pipeline of certified Noble Kava that is grown in Hawaii and harvested fresh, packaged, and delivered directly to a very solid base of customers. By cutting out the international dimension of buying and selling Kava, Gourmet Hawaiian Kava guarantees a product that they know from the inside out. And boy does it show.
I chose to order Hanakapi'Ai as my first Gourmet Hawaiian Kava for no particular reason. I just scanned the available Kavas and grabbed the first name that jumped out. I have been told great things about the Hiwa and Nene Kavas that are sold by Gourmet Hawaiian Kava, but you can often tell how good a vendor is by buying some of their less talked-about stuff. I made a good choice.
Hanakapi'Ai has a silky smooth, almost almond milk taste when squeezed to medium strength. I'd say three heaping tablespoons to one cup of water should get you a fine tasting strong Kava. If you overdo it, it has an overwhelming peppery flavor that might cause you to shake a bit. But if you aren't in it for the taste and want to be blown away quickly, you might want to opt for a cup of Kava to two cups of water. But don't say I didn't warn you!
Of course, you can see how this stuff hits just by watching the video above. But I'll try to walk you through it. A heavy numbing taste on the palate radiates out to the limbs pretty efficiently, letting your muscles kind of droop away from any stress that has inflated them. This Kava is particularly felt in the eyes. I got a kind of heavy stoniness behind my eyes that made me feel like there literally wasn't a care in the world.
Hanakapi'Ai not a "down" Kava. Don't drink this before going to sleep, because it provides some entertainment in the form of humorous thoughts, creative ideation, and absurd observation. I wanted to get to sleep early, but instead got myself into a writing frenzy.
- Strength (Mind) - 9.5/10
- Strength (Body) - 9/10
- Flavor 8.5/10
- Overall Strength: High - Very Strong
- Best time to drink: Evening Kava or Weekend Kava
The chemotype for GHK Hanakapi'Ai is 423651 with an overall kavalactone content of 9.13%.
