Mary Jane's Soda is a company out of Denver, CO, that specialize in the aptly named "Relaxing Soda". Made from Kava extract, Passionflower and sugarcane. Kava, the main ingredient has been used for thousands of years in the South Pacific as a ceremonial beverage and was served to Captain Cook when he visited the Hawaiian Islands in 1768. Today it is used as a treatment for stress, insomnia, and anxiety.

When I first popped the cork I could smell something familiar but couldn't place the smell. After sipping on it I still couldn't quite place the taste, it was quite sweet and fruity but with a slight bitterness to follow. Mary Jane's states they have eliminated the "significantly unpleasant taste" of kava, and in that respect they have. I've never had kava or passionflower, but I imagine it isn't exactly delicious.

I wholeheartedly recommend this soda for anyone who is feeling down or having trouble sleeping, I'd much rather drink something than pop pills. Personally, I'm not stressed out, depressed, or an insomniac. So drinking this didn't do much for me other than make me even more relax, but it did it very well. I was laughing a lot more, and just enjoying life a bit more. In fact I'm still feeling the effects hours after I drank it. Not something I'd drink regularly, but I'll definitely keep this product in mind if I've even feeling a bit on edge.

Update on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 7:09PM by Jordan

Ok, this is the first follow up we've had, and it's about Mary Jane's Relaxing Drink. My first impressions of the flavor may have been misguided, after drinking the second bottle they sent out I've found it tastes remarkably better than the first.

I attribute the discrepancy to the temperature, yesterday I was in a hurry to try it and in my rush I don't believe I let the beverage chill long enough. After a long overnight stay in my fridge this bottle is quite cold and quite tasty, the bitterness I talked about is almost completely gone and the hint of fruit is much more pronounced. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, perhaps it wasn't cold enough, all I know is I like it.