After a year, here is my information!
This year I had the opportunity to try some of the peppers mentioned here, and the conclusion is that
they all shared more or less the same flavor profile (intense chinense, sweet, citric and fruity...). This year I was already able to understand a phrase that I read a while ago (I don't remember where):
"The typical Chinese yellow flavor". In my opinion, almost all of them shared maybe 80-90% of that flavor profile. They all reminded me a lot of the regular
7 Pot yellow, but each one with its own nuances. This for a donkey-mouth like me, is too similar
So, considering what I've tried so far, my opinion is this:
- Brainstrain (yellow): Classic chinense yellow flavor, with extra citrus. The flavor is intense, like its heat. Like many superhots, she develops bitter notes on her tongue which I find off-putting. The heat is brutal, uncomfortable for me. In my case, I can't give it any other use than in sauces.
- Scotch Brain (yellow): The flavor is
very similar to Brainstrain yellow, but less intense, especially in citrus,
Brainstrain is more citrus. The heat is high, maybe a little above a chocolate habanero. In my case, I can use it in sauces and sometimes in sandwiches and salads.
- Moruga Scorpion (yellow): I tried it with more than 15 seeds and none germinated
I was also lucky enough to try others that were named in this conversation:
- Bahamian goat: An absolute winner for me. With a smooth flavor and full of subtleties. It doesn't resemble the “typical Chinese yellow flavor”. Mild Chinese flavor on a fairly sweet base, with soft hints of citrus and passion fruit. The heat is below a standard habanero in my opinion, it's quite manageable. A real winner, in my opinion. I use it in everything, sandwiches, salads, meat, fish…even chopped over
salmorejo (a cold tomato soup that is eaten in Spain, look for the recipe, you won't regret it).
- 7 Pot nebru: Perhaps
the best of all the yellow chinense I tried (along with SB MOA). The flavor was
rich and deep, with the
mix of everything good from 7 pot yellow and scotch bonnet. There was no bitterness here, despite being quite hot. The flavor lingers for a long time. It is perfect for sauces with citrus fruits. The heat is quite strong, but without reaching superhot. At first I used it chopped fresh on food, maybe a third of a pepper on my food; but it didn't take me long to tire of such intensity. Now I can't stop using it in sauces with tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, passion fruit, guava...), I even tried it with apple jam and it's really good.
- Since it has been named, I make special mention of
yellow Scotch Bonnet MOA. Although this year I did not grow it. Sometimes I usually grow it. The taste is really good;
Fair chinense flavor, tropical, sweet, with a slight citrus touch... at first I noticed that green aftertaste that many name. With a stroke of luck, I discovered that if, after ripening, you leave them on the plant for a longer time, they lose the green/bitter touch of their flavor. It's really delicious. Another winner for me.
I hope to help future readers!
Good luck to everyone with your 2023 season… I already have everything ready
that's odd...
