The Kava
Library
Isa and Iwi
The Tudei Kavas of Papua New Guinea
Just thought you might like some info on Isa and Iwi. Both of the Kava cultivars are from Papua New Guinea and were originally collected by Vincent Lebot from Madang, where Kava is seldom consumed.
Isa is a tall plant with dark green stalks and spots. In 1999, Dr. Lebot compared the DNA testing on Isa with the Hawaiian varieties and reported that Isa appeared to be the most genetically distant from other accessions.
The cultivar called Iwi is a lighter shade of green along it's long stalks and it also has spots. Both the Isa and the Iwi are very fibrous and they have stalks that are very strong with tough stalks, stump and root system. The Iwi is even tougher than the Isa.
The Iwi roots were tested at a mind boggling 29.62% Kavalactones with a chemotype of 256431. This is the chemotype of a Tudei kava because it starts with 25, the two double bonded Kavalactones. Isa has a total Kavalactone content of 10.78% and a chemotype of 246531. This is also a Tudei Kava, but not as strong as it's sister Iwi. It is drinkable but not recommended.
Notice the total Kavalactone content and the chemotype. We can see that the Isa is a Tudei Kava like Iwi but the Iwi has a higher total Kavalactone content and the double bonded Kavalactones DHK and DHM are higher in concentrations than the Isa. That is why some people can drink the Isa but cannot drink the Iwi. The Isa has 1.72% of the total Kavalactones as DHK and Iwi has 8.23% DHK which is a lot of DHK. No wonder Iwi is impossible to drink and enjoy.
I guess that is why some people can drink Isa and some cannot. I bet the Isa drinkers will not be able to drink the Iwi at all, it will surely change their view on drinking Tudei Kava. Lol
Here in Hawaii there are some Kava sellers that are spiking there Kava with the Isa to make it stronger and they are selling it as pure Hawaiian. This is wrong and you can always tell the spiked kava from the smell and by using the Acetone test. The Acetone test is discussed elsewhere in the library but when the Kava solution turns orange, then you know the Kava is Tudie. To my trained nose, the spiked Kava will still smell strong and piney because of the Isa.
It is interesting to note that the Iwi grows here in Hawaii but nobody uses it, I guess it is way to strong for even a Tudei Kava. My company Hawaiian Gourmet Kava does not sell Tudie Kava. We only grow and sell Noble Kava. We only want to drink the Kava that Islanders drank for thousands of years without ill effect.
