Bhut Jolokia Chocolate

Bhut Jolokia Chocolate, also known as Chocolate Ghost Pepper, is a brown ripening colour variant of the traditional Bhut Jolokia from northeastern India. The original Bhut Jolokia has been cultivated for generations in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

Pods mature from green to a rich chocolate brown rather than red. Fruit are typically about 5.0 to 8.0 cm long and approximately 2.0 to 3.0 cm wide. The surface is wrinkled and uneven, consistent with other ghost pepper types.

Heat is generally reported between 800000 and 1001304 SHU. A working figure of 900000 SHU reflects the central range most often cited. There are no widely published independent laboratory tests specific to the chocolate designation separate from the broader Bhut Jolokia group.

Flavour descriptions suggest a sweet and fruity profile with slightly earthy or smoky undertones, though the intense heat remains the dominant trait. These flavour notes are anecdotal and based on grower and seller descriptions rather than formal sensory studies.

The chocolate form is widely reported to have been recognised and distributed in seed communities around 2008, with sources crediting identification of naturally occurring brown variants in Assam. While commonly referred to as a cultivar, it is more accurately a colour form within the broader Bhut Jolokia type and does not have a separately documented formal botanical registry entry.