Palarasul (Palarasu) kava
Palarasul, also written Palarasu, is a kava cultivar from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Legal class: Noble.
Origin
Island: Espiritu Santo. Country: Vanuatu. Coordinates: -15.3667, 166.85. Espiritu Santo on the kava map.
Legal standing
Noble, per Vanuatu Kava Act No. 7 of 2002, Schedule Table 1.
Legally the same entry
The Kava Act groups these names in one schedule row, so in law they are synonyms even where vendors sell them as separate cultivars.
Chemotype
A chemotype ranks the six kavalactones from most to least abundant. It says nothing about how much kava is in the root, only about the order. Published readings for this cultivar disagree, so all of them are shown.
| Code | Kavalactones, most to least abundant | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 423156 | Kavain > Dihydrokavain > Yangonin > Desmethoxyyangonin > Dihydromethysticin > Methysticin | Nakamal at Home |
| 423156 | Kavain > Dihydrokavain > Yangonin > Desmethoxyyangonin > Dihydromethysticin > Methysticin | Art of Kava; 7.25% total kavalactones, flavokavain ratio 0.060 |
| 423165 | Kavain > Dihydrokavain > Yangonin > Desmethoxyyangonin > Methysticin > Dihydromethysticin | Kava Society New Zealand |
| 246531 | Dihydrokavain > Kavain > Methysticin > Dihydromethysticin > Yangonin > Desmethoxyyangonin | Kava Forums chemotype thread |
Chemotype genuinely shifts with plant age, which part of the root was milled, soil and shade. Some of this spread is real variation and some of it is disagreement between laboratories. Treat any single code as a claim about one batch, not a property of the variety.
Character
Heady. Clear-headed. Stays above the neck, so it suits daytime.
How it is described
- “Heady and uplifting, with mental clarity and a clean profile”, Kava Society New Zealand
Taste and mouthfeel
- “Cashew, lemongrass and spice, smooth and creamy”, Art of Kava
Background
- “One of Vanuatu's three most popular nakamal varieties; nearly all of it is consumed locally”, Kava Society New Zealand
Availability
Widely sold. Easy to buy.
Known to stock it: Kava Society NZ, Nakamal at Home, Art of Kava, Bula Kava House.
Sold as
- Palarasul Ground Kava, Bula Kava House, 227 g: 29.70 USD (131 USD/kg)
- Kava Powder Palarasul, Kavaha, 400 g: 86.99 EUR (217 EUR/kg)
- Palarasul Noble Kava, Kava Mode, 500 g: 113.97 EUR (228 EUR/kg)
- Kava Powder Palarasul, Kavaha, 200 g: 49.99 EUR (250 EUR/kg)
- Kava Powder Palarasul, Kavaha, 100 g: 26.99 EUR (270 EUR/kg)
- Epik Instant Kava Palarasul, Nakamal at Home, 250 g: 129.40 USD (518 USD/kg)
Prices read from vendor storefronts on 2026-09-16, ranked cheapest per kilogram first. No vendor pays to be listed.
Documentation
Corroborated. Sources cited on this page:
- Vanuatu Kava Act No. 7 of 2002, Schedule Table 1
- Nakamal at Home
- Art of Kava
- Kava Society New Zealand
- Kava Forums chemotype thread