Sherwood Carboruga Yellow Pepper Review

Tony Sherwood is the man behind a number of popular pepper crosses. The Yellow Carboruga – a hybrid between a Bhut Carbon crossed with Yellow 7 Pot which was then crossed with the Moruga Scorpion – is just one such creation. My particular plant was grown in a 13 gallon pot and ultimately ended up almost three feet in width and height. It was also one of the most prolific plants I had this season, producing well over a hundred of these tasty, fiery pods.

For the most part the ripened fruit look like a small yellow Bhut Jolokia which caused a few issues for me when harvesting time came around. The pods were nearly identical to the yellow Bhut Assam I also grew out this year. Luckily, there is enough of a difference in the shade of yellow that I was able to keep them separated for storing. The interior of the Carboruga is almost devoid of placenta and only has a handful of seeds.

The aroma of the Carboruga is lightly pungent with hints of citrus and floral notes. The smell is inviting, even if it does hint at the heat to come. Biting into the pod, it’s hard to miss the texture of the fruit. It’s a bit on the soft side for my personal preference (even unripened fruit lacked a good crunch). The flavors present a light floral note right up front with a soft bitterness, distant citrus and light grassy notes lingering.

The heat builds slowly, hitting the throat hard for a while before moving forward to the tongue. The jowls start to water quickly, producing a good amount of drool as the burn intensifies on the tongue. The peak isn’t overly aggressive. A gentle whiskey chest spreads lightly as the burn begins to subside, leading into a long lasting and glowing finish.

Aside from the texture of the skin, I really liked the Sherwood Carboruga. It’s got a really good burn that is sort of mellow despite the intensity of the heat – it’s not a stinging or mean burn. With that character, this one should do just fine as an addition to any sauce recipes that call for a yellow pepper and a bit of citrus.