Greetings,
We, too, have noticed differences in Calamus over the 20 or so years
of working with it; some differences are likely due to different
species (which we have to note as much as possible for legality in
labeling) and some differences are probably subtleties in growing
region, seasonal conditions, etc.

Originally, the only way I could find the good, strong but not weird
tasting stuff was to collect it myself, so that is what I did as a
teenager. Back then, whenever you found commercial Calamus in a store
or ordered it, it would be from India, and it's true, it was of an
oily and just icky sort, a little nauseating to eat too much. That
kind gives a LOT of essential oil on steam distillation, and it is a
great oil for external use, for pancha karma cleansing masssage, sore
muscles, sluggish circulation, etc. The stupefying feeling I have
gotten from it was not entheogenically useful, but can be perfect for
a nice spa day of relaxation & zoning out!

Waterfall Calamus is very rare and expensive, we have to order it
specifically from growers in China, so it is unlikely you would have
come across it as an adulterant to other types. The roots of the
waterfall are very small, starting at the size of the side "legs" of
the American type, and getting smaller from there. I suppose in c/s
form of herbs, you never know what you get, but I doubt it was
Waterfall, since it is a real effort and specific quest to find it at
all.

I have noticed that even on the same whole root of the American type,
different sections are different in taste and quality, so maybe you
got one part one time and something else later. For example, I just
received 8 lbs of fresh, whole American-type calamus of excellent
quality (with several Latin names and the note "cursed botanists" on
the invoice!), and there are quite different sensations from each
part.
Let's see, munch munch....

>>live bioassay follows :) <<

The main root, the thick horizontal rhizome is somewhat bitter,
pleasing to me, not as bitter as the root of Dandelion, maybe along
the lines of a not-so-great artichoke, or a good bitter green. The
main flavour that comes out here is camphoraceous, not like in sage,
but more like Galangal, with that same peppery tongue-numbing, like
Kava can also sometimes be. Slight oily cheese quality, but not too
much.

The roots off to the side, the many rubbery "legs" that go down are
quite different, and maybe this is most of what your sweeter batch
was. They are sweeter, hardly bitter at all. They first have a sexy
sweet muskiness that I love, followed by a sweet piney terpene, like
the very fresh soft tips of spring evergreen growth. Yum yum. Not
really bitter at all, with only a little pepperiness. I could chew on
these all day, wait, I have been, for a few days now!

I only find that craving with this American type root, that I want to
break off a piece whenever I walk by the tray of it. With the Indian
which I only tried once internally, I didn't want any more, it just
tasted toxic on some level.

This root I have now is just lovely, it always is from the supplier-
James at Naturespirit herbs, online at www.naturespiritherbs.com
Some were so fresh I was able to plant them, not that I can grow
enough to stock my extractions, but it's nice to have some of these
friends live to hang with in person.

And thanks for your comments on the Green Tongue, and the empathic
connection. I'll chew on those ideas for a while, definitely in line
with my own experiences, too.

Strength & Wisdom,
Al-Qemi
www.al-kemi.com