Naglah Beast Pepper Review

The Naglah Beast is a cross created by the Chile Pepper Institute several years ago using the Bhut Jolokia and the 7 Pot Douglah. The result is a plant that, at least for my season, was prolific and pretty darn mean in terms of heat.

A couple of seasons ago, I grew out the Chocolate Naglah Beast and thoroughly enjoyed its flavor and burn. One look at this original cross and you can see where the chocolate variety gets its looks from. Each ripened fruit that I harvested looked just like the previous – stubby and blistered beyond belief. The red skin is thin and encases a good amount of spongey placenta. One gaze at this little block of mayhem and dread fills the soul.

Cutting this thing open unleashes a strong, superhot aroma with nose-tingling heat, floral notes and light fruits in the distance. Biting into the thing skin produces a surprising and satisfying crunch. A brief sweetness and fruit arrive first, followed by a touch of floral that fades quickly leaving the fruit character to dominate.

The Naglah Beast’s burn is no joke. The heat ramps up incredibly quickly to a fairly high level of intensity that focuses on the tongue and back of the throat. Tears well in the eyes as hiccups arrive along with a light sweat. This is a brute of a pepper that sits at its plateau for a long while before finally relenting. A light stinging character lingers.

Holy Hell this is an insane pepper. Despite the intense burn, the flavor still shines through wonderfully. I found this one to have more of an impact, heat-wise than the chocolate variant, but both presented an excellent flavor profile. I have used the Naglah Beast in a few sauces this year. And the stock in the freezer should last me a good while, as well.