NAH Tongan

[drifter308]

I'm relatively new to Kava, so I've only got Kalm with Kava (Borogu and Borongoru, both of which I like for different reasons) and Paradise Kava's new extracts as a point of reference for this review, but I saw on another thread that you don't mind newcomers opinions, so I figured I'd post mine.
I've had the Tongan for about a week and a half and have been having a few shells nearly every day, breaking it up with what I have left of Kalms Borongoru every 4-5 days. After reading other reviews it seems most of you are familiar with the two strains mentioned previously, so in comparison the Tongan is much mellower, both in taste and effects.
Taste: It really does taste pretty much the way balsa wood smells, not harsh at all.
Color: The color is much lighter than the Vanuatu strains, very milky looking.
Consistency: Very fine in comparison to the grind on Kalm's kavas, feels micronized and some of the powder escapes the strainer bag.
Effects: The effects are pretty mellow but you'll have no doubt that you've had a few shells. All in all a pleasant weekday Kava. I don't know if I'd recommend it for first timers due to reverse tolerance issues a strain this mild might not break through, if you like the effects of Kava but have issues with the taste of your current strain then this might provide a nice break. (though I'll be trying the Stone next, and I think Kalm's Borongoru will remain my go-to for the time being.)

 

[Steve Mariotti]

My first ground root was the NAH Tongan, and I picked it up after seeing kavasseur's review of it.

I just sat and watched football with a friend and grinned and grinned. Had a little head-spinny-ness but not an unpleasant amount.

Thing is, I have a super-sensitive tummy and that stuff wound my guts up for a day and a half afterwards. I was using two nested nylon paint straining bags for filtering, and I think the fine grind just let lots of root fiber into the brew. I LOVED the effects, but without careful filtering I don't know if I can go there again.

 

[drifter308]

The Tongan was the second (decent) kava variety I tried. I guess I'm a hard-head, but after trying some Stone and Mahakea I don't think the Tongan will make its way back into my rotation. I didn't care for the taste (I actually prefer the stringent peppery taste of the Stone) and the effects just didn't do much for me. Also, I think you're right about the grind, there was a lot of sediment and the hangover vs effects just didn't impress me with this variety. I'm sure a lot of people will like this, Kavasseur certainly does, but I just don't think this one is my bag. Love the Stone though.