The weather is getting hotter and 🥵hotter now, which can only mean one thing for Malaysians. The durian season is here! Hip hip hurray!🙌 Malaysia is famous for its durians, and as of 2021, there are over 200 registered varieties. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to choose & where to find the 7 most popular types of durians in Malaysia.
The most popular and widely demanded durian, the musang king, is very much sought after locally and internationally. Musang King can be easily distinguished from other durians with its sparse pyramidal spikes and a ⭐star shape pattern on its bum. Musang King also has a relatively long stem.
An A grade Musang King is round in shape and is the king of the king! It can be pretty expensive and costs around RM 60-80/kg. Even so, B grade and C grade Musang King already surpass many other durians with the richness and creaminess of their texture.
Other Names: Mao Shan Wang, Rajah Kunyit
Flesh Colour: Saturated yellow (like turmeric)
Flavour: Mostly sweet with a hint of bitterness
Texture: Dry, thick and creamy flesh with small seeds
Where It’s Grown: Mostly in Raub, Pahang
One of the most popular and sought after durian, D24’s taste & texture is slightly inferior to that of Musang King. However, because of its more wallet-friendly price and availability outside of the durian season, people like to use it for cooking and making 🍦🍰desserts.
D24 has an irregular shape and is in a homogenous green husk with thin spikes that grow packed together.
Other Names: Sultan
Flesh Colour: pale yellow
Flavour: Slightly bitter
Texture: Soft, thick, slightly runny with large seeds
Where It’s Grown: Mostly in Johor and Pahang
Alcoholics are gonna love this because this is the closest thing to 🥃liquor that anyone can get in the durian world! However, don’t worry because this durian is still halal (it’s not like farmers douche it in a barrel of XO lol).
It is known for its fermented taste, and many people call it the high-quality version of D24. Guess what? Many people are often confused between D24 and XO durians. The base of the fruit has a ⭐star-shaped centre depression and brownish-green husk. The long and thin spikes are sparse and grow downward.
Other Names: Not Available
Flesh Colour: Pale Yellow
Flavour: Bitter and slightly sweet with an alcoholic taste
Texture: Soft and slightly runny with big seeds
Where It’s Grown: Mostly in Johor & Pahang (Genting and Cameron Highlands)
IOI or 101 might sound like a k-pop band but is not. Many people often mistake it for D101 (Bangkok T16 ) when it is in fact durian IOI (like the IOI Mall) with the cultivar code D168. It has an oval shape with a brownish-green husk and is easy to pry open or break. The spikes are close knitted, long, thin, sharp and point in all sorts of directions.
The size is mostly smaller than other durians, with a weight of 1-2kg. Fruits that reach 4kg are rare and only come from old trees (around 20 years old). It also has a straight and stalky stem.
Other Names: Durian Mas Hjh. Hasmah
Flesh Colour: Saturated yellow (like turmeric)
Flavour: Sweet (some claim that it has a bitter aftertaste)
Texture: Thick and creamy with big seeds
Where It’s Grown: Mostly in Johor
Sounds like a new superhero in the avenger team but is not. Nonetheless, you can expect as much power from it as it is one of the most expensive varieties of durians on planet 🌎earth. The price of 1kg of Black Thorn can exceed 🤯RM100/kg! (man…this is like the Tony Stark of durians). This is because the durian is rare, and the taste is superior.
The fruit appears to be stout and has a round shape with a relatively short and stout stem. The Black Thorn gained its name through the shrivelled stamen on its bottom that resembles a black thorn. Even though the seeds are big, it is still not a turn off as the pulps are equally thick, giving eaters the satisfaction of eating them.
Other Names: Ochee, Duri Hitam, Hei Tze
Flesh Colour: Orange-yellow or dark orange (old trees)
Flavour: Sweet with a hint of bitter aftertaste
Texture: Dry, thick and creamy with big seeds
Where It’s Grown: Penang (mostly Balik Pulau)
This durian is commonly known as 🦐red prawn, but it tastes nothing like the seafood. It is named red prawn due to the shape and colour of the pulps that look like some cooked prawns.
The husk is in pale brown husk colour with short, sharp and sparse spikes. Red Prawn durians are generally hard to pry open (like your crush’s 💓heart). Unlike D24 and IOI, Red Prawn durians are rarer and more 🤑expensive compared to them.
Other Names: Hong Xia, Ang Hay, Udang Merah
Flesh Colour: Orange, slightly pinkish
Flavour: Sweet
Texture: Creamy and paste-like with medium-sized seeds
Where It’s Grown: Mostly in Penang, Johor & Pahang
Small and mighty is the best way to describe Kampung durian. It might be inferior to many other durians when it comes to texture and pungency. However, it is still able to pack a 😋smashing taste!
Kampung durians are generally small in size and cheaper than most durians, making them a go-to for durian lovers who are a bit tight on the budget. Some people might find it not so satisfying to eat due to its large seeds and not so thick flesh. Nonetheless, it is easily available on almost every durian stall and tastes good! (it is a durian after all!)
Other Names: Not Available
Flesh Colour: Pale yellow
Flavour: Sweet (some are slightly bitter)
Texture: Thin & runny flesh with large seeds
Where It’s Grown: Anywhere
With our guide to the 7 most popular types of durians in Malaysia, you will be able to distinguish between durians and won’t be cheated by vendors! Don't forget to share this blog post with fellow durian lover friends and family members!
