Naga Morich Pepper Review

I’m a big fan of the Bhut Jolokia. It’s flavor profile and burn just hit me in the right spot. And as such, I try to check out as many variants and close relatives of that pepper as I can. That’s how I came about growing the Naga Morich during the 2020 season. This particular ghost pepper family member is like the bigger, badder cousin.

Now, I’m not sure if the fruit of my plant are really true to form – they appear a good deal thinner and longer than other examples of the Naga Morich that I have seen online. That said, I really do love the way these pods look. That bright red skin and lightly blistered, twisting length just scream, “evil!” I mean, seriously, just look at that interior below – the sheen of capsaicin was enough to induce drool

The aroma doesn’t come across as evil, but it does smell darn fiery as fruit notes present themselves up front with a lingering hint of floral notes. The flavor of these gnarly pods follows suit. The pepper’s walls are thin, but still provide a satisfying crunch as the earthy and fruity flavors lead the way for the slightest hint of flowers way off in the distance. These things have a great taste that lingers as the heat starts to build.

The Naga Morich’s heat is a very slow building one that starts at the back of the throat and methodically works its way forward to an eventual, full-on mouth burn. The fire is not overly stingy or aggressive as it plateaus. It certainly feels warmer than your standard Bhut Jolokia, as well as the Yellow Dorset Naga that I reviewed recently.

I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the Naga Morich this growing season. The plant was more than prolific, producing more ripe fruit than I could harvest (or hope to consume on my one from one plant). The flavor of these fruits was superior to the Dorset Naga and I think I prefer it over the standard ghost pepper. The burn is brighter and a peaks a bit higher, as well, which is always a bonus. I’ve blended dried Naga Morich into a variety of powders this Fall and it has done quite nicely there and in sauces.