Chocolate Ghost Pepper

Also known as Chocolate Bhut Jolokia · Bhut Jolokia Chocolate · Chocolate Ghost Chile Pepper

Dark chocolate-colored superhot variant of the legendary Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) offering nuanced smoky-sweet flavor alongside extreme, lingering heat — perfect for bold sauces and extreme heat enthusiasts.

Flavor & Use

Fruit-forward, subtly sweet, tangy, and prominently smoky with earthy depth; flavors emerge before the slow-building, prolonged burn that defines the Ghost family.

sweetfruityearthysmokyfloral

Culinary

hot saucesBBQ sauces & marinadescurries/stews/chilisspice powders & saltsinfusions (with extreme caution)

About

The Chocolate Ghost Pepper is a superhot Capsicum chinense with gnarled, wrinkled, conical dark-brown pods (5-8 cm long) that ripen from green. It delivers a delayed, intense, lingering burn (up to 30+ minutes) paired with fruit-forward, subtly sweet, tangy, smoky, and earthy notes enhanced by its chocolate pigmentation. Thin- to medium-walled, crisp flesh; plants reach ~4 ft and demand a long hot season.

Backstory

Natural chocolate-colored variant (or Ghost x Douglah-influenced) of the Bhut Jolokia discovered by Frontal Agritech in Assam, India; released to growers worldwide around 2008. Embodies northeastern Indian tribal use of the 'king chile' for flavor and heat.

Appearance

ShapeConical pointed
ColorGreen · Chocolate brown · Dark brown
Size5–8 cm
WallMedium
SkinWrinkled

Growing

SunFull
WaterModerate
ClimateTropical
Days to maturity120 days
Plant height90–120 cm
Soil pH6–7
Germination14–40 days
Spacing60 cm
HardinessZones 9-11

Heritage

We don't have a documented family for this pepper yet.

Sources