Penang is the place where I first learned to taste.
It’s an island and a state off the northwestern coast of Malaysia, where Food is a competitive sport and eating is not about calories.
It’s the place where I learned to describe flavors deeper than “salty” or “sweet” – where durians are described as floral, nutty, alcoholic, coffee-like, milky, berry-liqueur and so on.
Oh you thought I just made all this Durian Tasting stuff up, did you? Nope, I learned it all right here.
And I’m pleased to be bringing these exquisite Malaysian durians “home” to the USA🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦
This Durian Box includes *four* varieties from Penang, Malaysia
These are 400g packets, each 100g bigger than in previous boxes for a total of 400g (1 lb) more!
- Hor Lor: Often confused with Musang King because of its dark yellow, sticky and dry flesh, Hor Lor is nutty and sweet reminiscent of Peanut-Butter-Cup Chocolate.
- Green Skin: The most “bitter” of the four, this robust and buttery durian has hints of whiskey.
- Red Prawn: The Penang Classic, Red Prawn is like a dessert wine with floral notes and an alcoholic tingle.
- Black Thorn: Dense and intense, Black Thorn is now the most expensive durian variety in Malaysia. It’s not a particularly bitter durian, but is rich and alcoholic like a heavy red wine.
- *Complimentary 100g sample of Rambutan OR Cempedak King*
*** The Three-Variety Sampler EXCLUDES Hor Lor ***
Also included:
- Tasting Instructions and recommended order to eat them
- Video Farm Tours by licensed local tour guides to take you on a virtual Durian Tour through the farms
- Educational materials
This is a Mail Order Durian package – you can buy durian online and it ships anywhere in the USA & Canada. Please inquire for Europe.
About the Extras
What is life without the little extras?
Do you remember that childhood joy of getting a box of cereal and knowing there was something extra inside?
We wanted to add some special, so we decided to include 2 other fruits you would ALWAYS find on our tasting table on a Penang Durian Tour.
In the 1930’s, Penang was more famous for rambutan than it was for durian!
And these days, people travel to Penang just to taste the extremely sweet, succulent and intensely bubblegum-orange Cempedak King, which is a relative of jackfruit.
The extra packet is included at random, so you don’t know which one you’re gonna get!
But if you would like to order just these fruits or add extra to a durian order, please contact [email protected]
About Penang, Malaysia
Penang Island may be the most famous durian destination in the world.
It’s an island famous for food and foodies, a place where eating clubs go on holiday to rampage over a vast melting pot of cuisine. Once a trading mecca, Penang attracted settlers from China, India, the Middle East and parts of Europe, who melded together into a solidly unique food culture – and one that is decidedly obsessed with the Best of the Best of the Best Durian.
The island’s small size means even the hipster Inner City Kids are just a 20-minute drive from prime durian real estate, old farms tousled by the dry sea breeze atop the crags and folds of the island’s steep mountains.
These mountain crevices hide a huge geography of winding cement trails, hidden fishing villages, beaches, Chinese and Hindu temples, and durians and durian people that we hope you will delight in discovering as you munch your way through this Durian Tasting Box.
The Floral, the Wine – shall we get drunk a little?
Penang Durian is distinctly delicate compared to durians in other parts of the country. The flavor is predominantly floral, fruity, and tingling with just a buzz of alcohol.
Think rosé wine not red, a glass of champagne not port – just enough to raise a little heat to your cheeks and a celebratory smile to your lips.
These durians are softer, smoother, and more alcoholic than any durian we’ve offered so far on Year of the Durian.
But Bitter-Buyers Beware – the only bitter durian in this box is Green Skin. If you LOVE bitter only, please get in touch about a custom order box just for you.
How We Prepped The Durian For Export
These Penang durians were collected on 4 consecutive mornings by one of the drivers who would normally be taking ya’ll on durian tour.
He personally filled his tour van and accompanied the durians to the nearest accredited export facility, where they were opened and blast frozen to -40C. This type of freezing process does not rupture the cell walls and better preserves the durian flesh’s natural shape and texture when you thaw it to eat.
They were then placed into an enormous frozen sea container and bobbed around on the ocean for awhile while they queued at the San Francisco dock with the rest of shipments during the slowdown of the Covid-19 crisis.
This is as small-farm-to-your-table-in-America as we can do. It’s definitely a team effort.
*Meet the Durian Farmers*
On the Blog:
*No Styrofoam Packaging*
To get these durians to you still cold, we need sturdy insulation.
We have decided to stick with a polyurethane insulation covered with thermal reflecting material.
How Environmentally Friendly is Polyurethane?
Polyurethane is very durable, so please do us the favor of re-using this great insulation. You can keep it in the box and re-use the box + insulation as a cooler when you go the farmers market.
If you don’t wish to keep the insulation, please take it to your nearest recycling center.
We are sorry about using non-bio-degradable packaging, and a little bit annoyed with ourselves, so we will keep searching for better solutions.
Want to order in bulk?
Please inquire by sending a message to [email protected]
Refund/Replacement Policy
The following reasons are covered under our refund/replacement policy:
- We will replace boxes lost by UPS/FedEx
- Late delivery or improper handling by UPS/FedEx that results in spoilage or damage
- Anything that is our mistake is on us
What we may not cover:
- If you change your address mid-shipment or pick-up location mid-shipment, and the box is delayed as a result.
To claim a refund/replacement, please notify us within *24 hours* of receiving your box with Photos.
Cancellations
- Please notify us of cancellations before the Friday 11:59PM before the Shipping Monday. All boxes ship on Monday only.
De –
Omg I missed
Elina Mohamed –
Do you send durian to oman
Lindsay –
not yet
Alisha Rosen (verified owner) –
I’ve been getting durian from Year of the Durian for about a year and a half now – and I finally got my family to sit down and try with me. There was enough in this box for a great tasting for everyone but still enough left for me to pig out after. My family liked these (they were pleasantly surprised what bitter really means in a durian) and I of course loved them all.
My favorite was the Black Thorn, but they were all great in their unique ways. The textures were really great, Hor Lor standing out as firmer than the rest. Really exceptional assortment! Thank you for sharing these flavors with the rest of the world.
Beverley Wong (verified owner) –
My first order of this Penang Durian Box certainly didn’t disappoint a Singapore girl living far away from home in San Francisco and missing one of the finest breeds of Durians from Malaysia! Shipped directly from Penang in Malaysia, every morsel of these 3 varieties of durian amazed and delighted me. I’m no durian connoisseur by any standards but I can totally say that the quality and taste of these durians far surpass the usual Thai and Vietnamese varieties that we can get here. These folks from A Taste of Penang are serious about their durians and also are efficient and offer excellent customer service:) Thank you guys!
Lindsay –
Yay! Thanks Beverley, we are so happy to here that we could bring you a little taste of home. We will keep doing our best to keep the durian A-quality 🙂
darrick (verified owner) –
Wonderful experience of receiving this box from UPS today.
Perfect quality and taste.
I have been living in durianland for 15 years eating durian as my daily staple, but i am back in Oregon craving already.
As i was eating the perfectly Delicious Black Thorn i noticed my inner dialogue say that i will be back to live in durian land someday.
Highly recommend this!
Thank you Linds! and hope that i never see the dreaded words of ‘out of stock’.
Lindsay –
Thank you for the feedback Darrick! It means a lot coming from a durian muncher as experienced as you! And makes me happy to think of you joining us in this experience of our Durian Tour In A Box. Let’s munch durian together again someday.
Weng K Wong –
Hi there, I recently received a three sample taste of penang sampler box…two was incredible and expected…but the third one green skin D165 wasn’t up to par…didn’t have that bitter /alcoholic taste as expected. For the price I paid, kind of expecting more…please advise…thank you
Lindsay –
Hi Weng, sorry to hear that one of the durian packets in your box was subpar. We do strive for perfection but of course durian is a natural product so there is room for error. We have already emailed you directly to discuss replacement/credit options to get you a better Green Skin experience. Thanks for your understanding.
Pauline (verified owner) –
The durians were amazingly tasty and fresh. Loved the varieties. Black Thorn is still my fav of all. Thanks Lindsay and Richard for the initiative to bring Malaysian durian to the western world to allow people like me to have my durian fix! 😉
Eric –
Food of the Gods man. Quite the experience, every single time. I got lost in the moment, lost track of which I was eating. I did have a favorite though, I just don’t remember which. Hopefully I will be able to order sometime again soon to document my favorite. Either way they are all incredible, Intoxicating, Divine.
The box/everything in it was mint, or durian rather. Such a pleasant experience.
Thank you guys so much for your idea of bringing this taste to people like me.
So grateful!
Love you guys
John Castleberry (verified owner) –
Thank You Team Durian!
I will leave a longer review after enjoying my third box which I hope is arriving tomorrow.
The Durian arrived cold and slightly frozen. The ice packs still cold.
Absolutely excellent condition and wonderful flavors. You are offering a unique and richly wonderful durian experience. I am very grateful to your farmers and the love and appreciation I see on every level from the precious fruit to your boxing, packaging and updates on the good people involved in production.
Black Thorn was my favorite, but every taste of each different pod was a delight. Thanks again for a feast. I hope to order and try all the offerings you make available. Please let me know what is available and save me a space.
You have a fan for life!
Lindsay –
Hi John,
Thanks so much for your feedback! We are so glad to hear you can feel the love that went into these durians from the Farmers, Tour Guides, packers and us. We are all so happy you’re happy 🙂 And good to know you like Black Thorn best! Will try to remember for future recommendations.
Bob Mitchell (verified owner) –
Amazing quality & customer service! Thank you Lindsay & company!
Tatyana @easily_raw (verified owner) –
It took some time for the 2 boxes I ordered to arrive to Canada and the durian inside was still cold but not frozen. It totally worth the wait! I’ve tried all varieties taking a bite from each one one and every time i was like this one is my favorite no this, no that one… at the end the peanutbuttery Hor Lor won the 1st place but only because it’s thicker texture. On the second day the battle happened again and then Black Thorn won… Third time it was Green Skin… this was super fun experience and I’m really looking forward to be able to join one of Lindsay and Richard groups to eat fresh durian where it grows. Thank you guys for bringing this amazing experience to us in other parts of the world. This was epic! Much love to you and congrats!
Meri –
Ordered my box all the way to northern Europe and received the box on time and without any problems ^^ Apart from a few bites in the Red Prawn that were a bit al dente, the fruit flesh was in perfect condition as far as I can tell. Oh my, it was quite something. We ended up having the perfect evening omnomming custardy fistfuls of tree-dropped sweetness ^^ We weren’t quite able to grasp the intricasies of the flavours mentioned about the Red Prawn other than the slight alcoholic aftertaste. Nevertheless, you can’t spell udang merah without “dang” (or without backwards “harem”, but I digress). And “dang” was indeed my first though when I bit into its deliciousness and mouthwatering texture. Green Skin on the other hand was bitter from the first bite and the alcoholic taste was similar to the Red Prawn. I love my bitter teas and bitter melons as much as the next person, so flavour-wise this might be my new favourite ❤ When it comes to the texture, though, I prefer the other two ^^ It’s good that Black Thorn was the last of the three. That was heavy and strong. Full of flavour, it gives a kick that warms pleasantly in the cool Autumn night. I now understand why this variety is so popular ^^ The TLC mentioned in the info card can also be tasted in the flavour.
David Finkelstein (verified owner) –
Just arrived today, and my wife and I and our seven-year-old loved them. It’s a rather surreal experience to be eating such top-notch durians at our home in AZ desert. The three varieties we got were probably the best I’ve ever had. Thank you to you both!
David
Lindsay –
So glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Jeremy Tan (verified owner) –
The variety of durians in this box is great even though we were only able to get the 3-durian box by the time we out it in. A true sampling of the gamut of flavours available in Malaysian durians (speaking as a Malaysian living in Canada).
Furthermore, Lindsay and Team Durian are a class act! Our shipment to Canada was delayed by a combination of customs and logistics delays but Lindsay was communicating with us throughout, sending us updates and ideas, and then arranging to get us a replacement ASAP.
Five stars out of five.
Lindsay –
Hey Jeremy! We are so glad your replacement box arrived on time and you were able to enjoy the durians! Love the pictures you sent, thank you! 🥰
Jason King –
Lindsay and Richard are HEROES in the durian world for making this happen. The chance to eat top quality Malaysian durians without sitting on airplanes for 40 hours is… priceless. Each variety was distinct, and fantastic. I had 4 durian munching sessions from my box. Not exactly cheap, but keep in mind these varieties are expensive even in Malaysia. Kudos to team Yearofthedurian for making this special treat available! YUM!!!!!
Lindsay –
Thank you for the review Jason! We are glad you enjoyed the tasting sampler. Next time let’s eat Penang Durian ON Penang Island 🙂
Chelsey (verified owner) –
Durian first-timer here! This was a great experience and a fun way to try something otherwise out of reach at the moment.
Being as I’ve never had durian, my first taste was something of an unfortunate event, followed by a second, third and fourth tasting that were wildly improved. In the end my least favorite was probably the Red Prawn and my most favorite Black Thorn, or maybe Green Skin… or maybe Hor Lor. Heck I liked them all for different reasons, bittersweet finish of Hor Lor, homemade eggnog flavors of Green Skin, thick thick thick Black Thorn. Red Prawn was OK too, super silky, just not as unique to my taste buds. The cempadak scrambled my brain for a minute but we came out the other side with a super toasted sugar jackfruit flavor.
Ready for the next box!
Lindsay –
Thank so much for giving durian a try! We are delighted and honored that you chose YOTD for your first experience, and way to go in persevering through the scary first bite! We can’t wait to find out which durian flavor profile will be your favorite.
Wan (verified owner) –
The package was well put together and the durians were perfectly fresh, intact and timely delivered! I have enjoyed them so very much and wanted to order more but many were out of stock! The recommended progression of durian was clever – mildest to strongest in flavor. I grew up with Malaysian durians and love your selection. My favourite is the Black Thorn – so rich and deep in taste. I hope you will also include Musang King in the future, but even if you don’t, you now have a loyal customer! Thank you for this brilliant venture! May you continue to prosper in this venture so we can continue to taste the durians! Stay safe and healthy!
Lindsay –
Hi Wan,
Thank you for your review! We are so glad the durians made it to you in good shape and that you enjoyed the procession. We like trying to give the “tasting experience” at home. I am not sure we will carry Musang King until later, but we have something planned so keep in touch!
Dean (verified owner) –
I have purchased each offering from Year of the Durian – the Philippines, Borneo, Thailand – but this is the box I was truly wishing for. I had made plans nearly a year in advance to travel to Penang this summer specifically to tour durian farms in Balik Pulau, waiting to buy plane tickets based off of the forecasts for the season. I have Lindsay’s book The Durian Tourist’s Guide to Penang and already had my favorites picked out. But it looked like I would have to wait indefinitely to try some of the renowned classics of Penang.
So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw an email in my inbox listing a Penang box! And the durian varieties offered read like a greatest hits album.
These are the best durians I’ve ever tasted. There’s no favorite because they each have distinctly different flavors. I was so intrigued by the Red Prawn flavor – it tastes like cherries! Glace cherries or some cherry candy. So cool. Love the thick texture of the Hor Lor and the alcoholic bite of the Black Thorn. The Green Skin is perfect – bitter, rich, sweet, a little alcohol. After trying these, it’s no wonder that Penang is the destination for durian tourism!
Thank you to Lindsay and Richard for making this box happen!
Lindsay –
Hi Dean,
We are so happy to be able to send a little taste of Penang to you! It makes our day to hear that, and of course we will hope to be able to see you in Penang next Durian Season. Stay in touch!
James (verified owner) –
I was very excited to finally get to try durian, and I wasn’t disappointed! They arrived cold and kept nicely for most of a week as I gradually consumed them. I can see why not everyone likes them- the combination of flavors is exotic and unlike anything else I have had. I am definitely in the pro-durian camp, though- I especially liked the hor lor. I was dubious about it’s supposed “peanut butter cup” finish, but that was an excellent description of it. Yum!!
Lindsay –
Hi James, we are so excited to hear that this was your first time trying durian! Thank you for giving us the honor of introducing you. We are also so happy you found the peanut butter in the Hor Lor 🙂 🙂
Chris Kendall –
Seriously ridiculously delicious, I couldn’t stop and ate it all in one sitting. I have dreamt about Penang durian for a long time and wasn’t disappointed. It was a close call but the Black Thorn was my fave followed by the Hor Lor, but all were amazing and I just love the quality care in the box, durian cards and everything, they are keepsakes for me. I have loved every box you guys have put together and the Borneo durian, as well as the Thai ahh all of them were so good. Thank you for bringing the experience home, I hope to make it to these areas one day but until then this brings one of the biggest reasons I want to travel there home!
Lindsay –
Thank you Chris! We are so happy to deliver a little Delicious Travel Inspo! See you in Penang 2021? 😁
Stephanie (verified owner) –
These Durians are SO scrumptious! Everything arrived in pristine condition, and they were all amazing in their own way. It’s really tough to pick a favorite as they were all unique and delicious. Thanks a million, Lindsay!!
Lindsay –
Thanks for the positive feedback Stephanie! Since we can’t have you durian munchers here with us on Durian Tour, getting comments like this is the next best thing. Really glad you enjoyed the box!
DA (verified owner) –
Another hit with the pleasant surprise of non-durian offerings!
Starting off with my least favorite was Hor Lor. It was hard to get through the bitterness and enjoy the rest of the flavors. Next up, Red Prawn, which was a good old-fashioned durian: creamy and pungent. Green Skin had the most unique flavor of the four in this box. Leans heavily in the alcoholic flavor profile with strong notes of eggnog. Very satisfying and my favorite. Black Thorn had its own special characteristic to bring to the table. The pulp held firm, but bite into it and you get a burst of pure cream like that of an eclair. The flavor and intensity are modest for a durian. In this case, it’s all about the texture.
The most exciting part of this variety pack for me wasn’t the durian, but the cempedak. It has always been on the top of my bucket list of fruits I’ve always wanted to try and I was glad to pay a little extra for the sample pack. It was everything I had hoped for: a lightly caramelized jackfruit with the mild, diesel fuel-like pungency of a durian. A winning combo.
As usual, I can’t wait for what’s next, but now I’m thrilled of the prospect of rare fruit like cempedak popping up on occasion.
D. Glonek (verified owner) –
I liked the Malaysia fruit better than the Thai ones. I think I need to try the Tai again. I really liked the Red Prawn the most followed by the Green skin, but all were very good. Really.
Lily (verified owner) –
This box was so good that I had to order a second one!
Doug (verified owner) –
This was definitely my favorite box, hands down. Thanks again for making it possible! I can’t decide which variety I liked the best. They were all excellent.
Lindsay –
Thank you so much for the review! That’s excellent news 🙂
Kimberly Carreras –
Wow! This is my second time getting durian from year of the durian and again I’m blown away. This shipment from Malaysia was very different. The amount of complexity and variety was such a treat. We got two boxes to share with friends. We all had a different favorite. Mine was the black thorn and everyone else’s was the green skin but the consensus was that if we were going to eat the same durian every day that we would choose the hor lor so with that being said I definitely reccomend getting the 4 variety. These Syrians have me so excited to travel and try all the durians and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to try these unique vatieties of durian here in the USA. THANK YOU!
Lindsay –
Hi Kimberly, we are so happy that you enjoyed the diversity of flavors in the Penang Box! There are so many different kinds of durian with different flavors, it’s nice that you got to experience that and are excited to travel! Durian is such a great way to see the world and experience new places and cultures. We will hope to see you here in Durian Land someday. Thank you!
Wayne –
Since this was the first time I made the online purchase, I had a few questions initially. Lindsay was quick answering them. Placing the order was very easy and picking the box up in person was smooth as Piedmont was not that far from where we live. Durians were nicely packaged even with an ice pack accompanying them. They were all cold to the touch and in excellent condition. The description cards were a nice touch since this was the first time my wife and I tried them. That way, we did not have to search online to learn more about them while enjoying these specialty durians.
My wife’s favorite was Green Skin while I enjoyed Red Prawn the most. These are the “high end” ones you can’t find in Oakland Chinatown or local supermarkets. It’s a nice treat, thanks to Lindsay and Richard for sourcing them and getting them to California. Keep up with the good work! 🙂
Josh Fossgreen –
I think this might be my favorite box yet! I enjoyed all four varieties massively, would have eaten 2 whole durian worth of each if I could!
Was really surprised by the wine notes in a couple varieties, that was new for me. Super cool!
Lindsay –
Awesome! Here at Year of the Durian we love those wine notes, it’s partly what makes Penang Durian so special and different from durians in other regions.
Ali (verified owner) –
HIGHLY recommend! These durians are the creme-de-la-creme of durian. Red Prawn will blow your mind – it’s like no other durian on the planet. Lindsay has sourced the absolute best quality of the best varieties. If you’re ready for a true durian EXPERIENCE, then this box is for you. It will make you want to do whatever you need to do to join Lindsay on her next tour. Thank you Lindsay! Your attention to detail and your outstanding customer service make you a true gem. Thank you for getting this to my sister for her birthday, that meant so much to us! You’re the best, this is the best. Thank you.
Lindsay –
We were so delighted to be able to get these Durians to your sister for her Birthday! It made our day too 🙂
WILLIAM YEE (verified owner) –
We did our same saltwater palate cleansing after every taste.
Hor Lor
Very good alcoholic peanut bitterness that you can eat every day.
Red Prawn
I loved this the most for the thick bitterness fiberless. It’s very powering and satisfying though I don’t think I can eat this every day like Musang King
I love your phrase” inhale you must”. We went beyond that and savored up the seed dry in a good way.
Green Skin
My wife loves this the most as she said it’s more custardy with some bitterness and creamy.
Black Thorn
I had so much hope for this. Maybe a bit deflated. I loved the color and the taste. I would not pay the premium for weekly consumption.
So if you eat daily I would say Hor Lor since Black Thorn is too pricey.
I personally think if you are a true durian lover, this has to be the best package you put together. Lindsay, Pat yourself on the back!
I am going to reward myself another box.
Lindsay – Thank you so much for your durian passion and bringing so much joy to all of us who love durian so much!
Now I will eat Monthong as a last resort….sadly….
William & Mulan
Lindsay –
Thank you for the detailed review William! As you well know we love to hear how our customers experience the durian and which is their favorite of the Taster Box. Thank you so much!
Robert Green (verified owner) –
The Penang durian have been extraordinary. I’ve had the first 3, up to Red Prawn. I’ve been taking my time to savor each one. It’s a bit sad when I’ve finished each variety as I’m left wanting more. I suppose that’s why I’ve put in 2 more orders for the full package. Each variety is distinct and thoroughly enjoyable. And extremely different from the Philippine varieties as well as the more common ones I’ve had from Thailand. I enjoy the descriptions and recommended tips for consumption. Really makes me wish I could participate in an on site durian adventure. Given the limitations of the day, this feels like the next best thing. Thank you for making these available and for taking some much time and thought to arrange these boxes and presentations. Any possibility for doing a Borneo box some time? I’ve had D graveolens while visiting Kota Kinabalu and that is one of my all time favorites.
Lindsay –
Hi Robert,
Thank you for the review! We are so happy to raise your Durian Expectations 😀 and take you on a little Tasting Adventure since we’re all stuck at home these days. We will definitely be offering another Borneo sampler again in the early Spring 2021.