A true gem from Ghana - The Kpa Kpo Shito

[Nigel]

Before I say anything, do yourselves a favor and go find some seeds for this one. 
 
Thanks go again to Joe Delaney for this true gem of the pepper world. 
 
However you pronounce it, the Kpa Kpo shito is a wonderful pepper with fantastic flavors and heat. The overall flavor really is out of the ordinary in an excellent way. I loved this one. 
 
Initially the flavor is one of ripe cherries, but without much in the way of sweetness. That goes quickly, to leave behind a big, bruising C.chinense flavour, but a very complex chinese-type of flavour that is very aromatic. At the back end of the flavor is an undercurrent of greenness that is very complementary with a tiny aspect of perfume-type flavour that is also very good and really rounds out the big bold flavour that this small pepper has.
 
Initiallly, the heat is prickly and aggressive, but it takes a very long time to reach it`s peak in heat and during that time the heat mellows considerably. At the peak, the heat is roughly half habanero-hot, so not mild by any stretch.
 
A new pepper for my all-time top 10............
 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkm13OcsmCE&feature=youtu.be

 

[PepperLover]

great review for great pepper many thanks for Joe, he sent me a set of priceless peppers from Ghana

 

[ajijoe]

good on ya mate!!

 

[Barley-pop57]

Sounds like another pepper to put on the wish list.  By your review it sounds great

 

[cone9]

... leave behind a big, bruising C.chinense flavour... At the back end of the flavor is an undercurrent of greenness that...
 
Nigel, you're writing the book on reviewing peppers.  Decades from now, when we're all long one, hot peeper review wannabes will be pulling your appraisals from the archives to charge their own efforts with just the right touch of panache!

 

[thepodpiper]

I agree, very well done. It's on my wants list.

 

[SL3]

With a name like that, having that undertone of dish soap is probably a good thing. Sounds like a very interesting pepper none the less.

... leave behind a big, bruising C.chinense flavour... At the back end of the flavor is an undercurrent of greenness that...
 
Nigel, you're writing the book on reviewing peppers.  Decades from now, when we're all long one, hot peeper review wannabes will be pulling your appraisals from the archives to charge their own efforts with just the right touch of panache!

I'm glad I'm not the only one encouraging Nigel to write that book. Get er done Nigel!