Madayaw. Welcome to Davao!
There’s a mystery to the deep ravines and craggy mountain valleys of Davao, hung with mist and so verdantly green the color remains imprinted on your eyelids whenever you blink.
Here is one of the most ethnically diverse places you’ll ever visit; the home of 11 indigenous tribes, the remnants of an Islamic empire settled in the 16th century by Spanish colonizers, and heavily influenced by 19th century American businessmen.
It’s a place that has struggled with communist guerilla warfare and has only recently found peace through the politically controversial policies of the Duterte family.
It’s a place dominated by small fruit farmers trying to find their own way amidst the stretches of commercial plantations owned by Dole and Del Monte.
And it’s here; in this unique geography beneath the peaks of Mt. Tipolog, Mt. Talomo and Mt. Apo, that you will find durian that’s flavor belongs totally and fully to the people of the Philippines.
This is definitely a more bitter box for durian-lovers that love some intensity to their durians, as well as those who love super-fleshy durian that gives you an abundant bite.
We are pleased to introduce these Philippine durian varieties to durian lovers of the USA 🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦
This Durian Box includes *three* varieties from Davao, Philippines
These are 400g packets, each 100g bigger than in our Philippines box for a total of 500g (1.1 lb) more!
- Duyaya: Filling and sweet, Duyaya is sparkling sweet sweet raspberry pudding meets chocolate custard. It’s divine.
- Puyat Cut-Harvest: The commercial durian of the Philippines, Puyat Cut-Harves is sweet and thick, like an egg-custard frosting.
- Puyat Tree-Ripe: Robust and syrupy, this intensely aromatic durian is both honeyed and metallic – one for the bitter lovers. Just warn your neighbors before imbibing!
- Lakatan Bananas: This is small, orange-gold fleshed banana is extra sweet and has an unusual texture. They are the favorite from the region!
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
- More educational materials
This is a Mail Order Durian package – you can buy durian online and it ships anywhere in the USA, Canada, & Europe.
Ships from Medford, Oregon.
There are a lot of Philippines Durians – and now you have 8!
Philippine Durians are a fleshy, abundantly filling bunch. They’re creamier, more custardy, and messier than durians from other regions – but that’s where their similarities end!
Each durian has it’s own particular flavor profile, and this box comprises a huge range of tastes – from sweet and milky to berry liqueur to a bitter alcoholic honey, this box has everything!
Those of you who love strong, very creamy durian should love this box. It’s a good choice for you Bitter-Buyers.
But those of you who love the sweet, the mild, the milky, the rosè – this box is good for you too. It has everything, in abundance.
About Durian From Davao, Philippines
Davao has a lot of durian. During the season, it’s abundant. It’s everywhere.
But farmers have struggled to capitalize on the potential of their durians due to the ruggedness of the terrain and the generally bad infrastructure.
Many of the farmers we worked with on this project did not have access to cell reception or internet data at home; making coordinating durian drop-offs and pick-ups particularly difficult.
Much of the durian in the Philippines is sold at low prices, or discarded as unsellable.
We are happy to be participating in the revolution of the durian industry happening in Davao. With the help of Larry Miculob, who started exporting durian in 2015, we were pleased to facilitate the first export of durian from the Philippines to the United States in 2019, and this 2021 the first export to Australia.
We believe in the future potential of Philippines durians to compete with the Durian giants like Musang King and Monthong, and in the community cooperatives of the Philippines to create an export model that is sustainable for the environment, for small farmers, and for biodiversity.
And we hope after this box, when you know your favorite Filipino durian varieties, you’ll be a believer too.
Thanks for participating!.
*Meet the Philippine Durian Farmers*
*No Styrofoam Packaging*
To get these durians to you still cold, we need sturdy insulation.
We are currently using Temperpack‘s curb-side recyclable insulation made out of 90% recycled paper and corn starch.
Want to order Philippine Durian in bulk?
Yes! We give bulk discounts! Please inquire by sending a message to [email protected]
Credit/Replacement Policy
In most situations, we will either directly replace the product or issue a credit to be used at any point in the future. Refunds or Partial Refunds will be issued on a case-by-case basis.
The following reasons are covered under our credit/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 do not cover:
- If you change your address or pick-up location mid-shipment and the box is delayed as a result.
- All International Shipments (except Canada & Puerto Rico)
To claim a credit/replacement, please notify us within *24 hours* of receiving your box with Photos. Why 24-hours? Because we are going to be taking your photos and claiming our reimbursement to UPS! So help us out 🙂
Cancellations
- Please notify us of cancellations before the Saturday 11:59PM before the Shipping Monday. All boxes ship on Monday only.
- All Refunds issued for cancellations will deduct the credit card fees. Customers will have the option to receive back their full refund MINUS the credit card fees, or receive the full balance in a store coupon to be used on a future purchase.
Box Reviews on Youtube
Chloe (verified owner) –
I have tasted across Davao from the comfort of my own home and concluded that the only two things more delightful than these durians are this business and the owner herself. She offers a diverse product range, excellent quality durian, and warm customer service at an unmatched price point—you cannot go wrong purchasing from Year of the Durian. Thank you heaps again Lindsay, I appreciate you and all you do!! 🥰
Shawn Prunty (verified owner) –
This box is one of many that I have purchased from Lindsay and Richard over the past couple years. Each time I get a new box the overall quality has improved dramatically and I am always happy with the quality of the contents. This last time however I have been ecstatic with what was received. I am eating it very slowly so have only tried the Yellow Cob and a little of the cacao. The durian was sooooo delicious and the cacao made me very happy. Looking forward to many more blissful moments when the other varieties get to my mouth. They are in the freezer but every time I open the fridge the smell hots my nose and I remember that more durian is just simple thaw away. HURRAY!!!!
Geri-Ann Roth –
Would your samples include the seeds of the fruit that I can try propagating?
Lindsay –
No, the seeds in our fruits are not viable because they are all blast frozen.
Fatimah Hassan (verified owner) –
For the love of durian I ordered the 5 varieties Philippine box. It arrived still frozen. The durian tasted very very good. My daughters decided that we try one pack a day ( so we don’t finish it all in one day) our favourite is Duyaya followed by Arancillo. I personally like Umali too, the taste reminded me of ‘durian kampung’ (local durian) in Malaysia.
Overall it was a good experience, our durian cravings were fixed ☺️
Jason king –
I have done a Borneo tour with Lindsay and Richard and got to sample the most amazing durians on earth. That said, I can honestly say that these Philippine durians, when left in the fridge and at normal refrigerated temperature, rival any durian on earth, even fresh.
April –
I ordered the 5 variety Philippines box for my birthday and was not disappointed. This is the 3rd box I’ve ordered from Year of the Durian. I always enjoy the included description cards and the art on the box. The durian arrived well packaged and still frozen. I was really excited for the extras that came in this box and for the videos of the farms! Makes me want to go on a tour all the more. The durians were very generously portioned and with ample flesh. They were all a delight and it was really fun to try so many at once. My husband and I both chose the Swarscoff as our favorite, the flavor is just so interesting. The portion is large enough that we only ate half and will get another tasting of it. The tableya chocolate made with soy milk was delicious! Thank you!
Lindsay –
Hi April,
We’re so glad you enjoyed the full tasting experience and are delighted you liked Swarscoff the best, it’s truly a unique taste! We’ll look forward to welcoming you on Durian Tour in the future
Patrick –
Epic taste treat as usual!!!! Super quality from the year of the durian as we have come to excitedly wait for and relish all the amazing seasonal offerings. They keep getting better and better, more and more fun. It is a super special treat! Lindsay and Richard have been amazing hosts and teachers and have been offering quality, wonderful durian from the start!
Thank you!
Caileigh (verified owner) –
I bought this as a surprise gift for my husband for Valentine’s Day. The durian box arrived right on time. The packaging and notes that came with the durian pods are beautiful and highly informative. My husband and I loved sampling each of the unique types of durian. Move over wine tasting and hello durian tasting! Our favorite was the Duraya variety. Thank you so much! Will definitely be ordering again.
DA (verified owner) –
Excellent yet again. Umali and Swarscoff were nice new additions, but what was really impressive were the returning varieties. I didn’t think they could be better than their first go-around. This season’s Arancillo blew me away at how much sweeter it was compared to previous years while still having that creamy consistency that I fondly remembered.
Also, a huge thank you for including a generous portion of marang as this box’s extra fruit. I loved trying cempedak last time and I was excited to try this other jackfruit-relative for the first time. The flavor reminded me of frozen banana and pear.
Lindsay –
Hey Don, it’s super fun that you are discovering the variations in the seasons and finding your favorites! Durian is variable from year to year, it drives people who need standardization crazy but for us it’s fun!
I’m glad you enjoyed the marang! I’d love to know which is your favorite Artocarpus so far 😊
David Folger (verified owner) –
Received the package in great condition; durian still frozen, lanzones getting a bit soft but still cold. Shipping to Texas for sure worked better in Winter weather! First time for lanzones/langsat/duku, enjoyed them very much. Can’t wait to try Marang also, maybe next time! My favorite durian was the Swarscoff. Odd it has a German name in the Philippines. Can’t wait to see where the next sampler will be from. Thanks again.
Lindsay –
Hi David,
Hopefully our new packaging & ice packs are helping too! Glad you enjoyed the lanzones 😊 Swarscoff is named for General Schwarzkopf who led the US army during the first Gulf War. The guys on the farm thought the tree’s trunk looked like it had camouflage coloring. I am not sure if General Schwarzkopf knows that there is a durian named for him or not 😅
Wan (verified owner) –
Amazing – again! This is the second box I ordered and the precious durian arrived in perfect condition…cold, slightly frozen and intact! Loved all 5 of the varieties and the lanzones (we call them langsat in Malaysia) were soooooo sweet! My tastebuds and durian craving are appeased…can’t wait to try all the other durian offerings from both of you!!! Great job on the selection and keep going guys!!!
Tatyana Kiseleva (verified owner) –
This was the forth time I ordered the durian box from Lindsay and Richard. I love it! I order every time they have new boxes and planning to do that in foreseeable future. My dream is to join them in Asia to eat fresh durian but for now this is the next best thing. This durian is top quality. It tastes incredible and every time the experience is amazing. It’s just so delicious. It’s hard to describe but every bite makes you almost cry how good it is and makes you think that this is the food we are supposed to eat! If you never had durian before this is the right one to start with. The box comes with the description card for each variety. I love tasting the durian and try to see if I can taste what is being described on the card. It’s a durian taste party every time! Thank you Lindsay and Richard for bringing this experience to us!
Lindsay –
thank you 🙂
Eric (verified owner) –
I wish store bought durian was this good. Creamy, smooth, full of flavor. Such a great experience. Was feeling very down and this really helped me feel much better. Thank you Lindsay, Richard, and Ivy!
Lindsay –
Thank you Eric! We are so glad the durian was delicious and cheered you up 😊
Daniel (verified owner) –
I purchase durian from time to time when I see it at markets in frozen or candy form over the last decade. The Davao box contains fruit that has chocolate frosting, candy, rum and cookie like flavors. I have enjoyed many durians over the years very much but none has been as edible as this. If I ate chocolate frosting, candy and rum that contained dairy it would make me very sick however, I tried all five of these Durians in one sitting and it actually made me feel very good. Considering how delicious and rare these cultivars are the price is very reasonable. Arancillo taste very much like a white chocolate liquor and it has been almost a decade since i have tasted that flavor. The texture of Arancillo was incredibly creamy but there is less flesh. I wanted to let other people I know try these and see what they thought. Everyone seemed to really rave about how Swarscoff made them feel. I made the Tableya with Swarscoff and it definitely imparts a sour berry aftertaste. Duyaya was like milk choloate strawberry syrup with a sweet aroma that lingered. Umali tasted and smelled very sweet with a Delicious smell and taste. Puyat was like large chunks of chocolate whipped cream. I am very grateful I decided to try this box from Davao because it was the Durian experience I have been looking for. I was able to live chat with some of the farmers, see videos of their farms and learn more about their methods. Very high quality food from passionate experts who love what they do and want to share it with you so that you can help preserve diversity. Very great product! So delicious. Thanks again to everyone who put this together!
David Finkelstein (verified owner) –
Incredible durian! They arrived in perfect condition – shipping in winter is much easier than summer. Ourfavorites are Arancillo and Duyaya. Both had lots of subtle flavors. Puyat and Amali were also outstanding. The Swarscoff had a strong numbing effect which took a while to get used to, but I came to appreciate. The langsat-like extra fruit lose most oftheir flavor whenfrozen.
We had no idea Phillipine durian would be so delicious and different. Thank you for organizing this!
Lindsay –
Hi David, thank you for the feedback! The Swarscoff is more unusual compared to the others, we are so glad this diversity of flavors exists.
Also thank you for the feedback on the Lanzones (Lansium domesticum). Have you had them fresh? They should taste a bit like a gummy-textured grapefruit.
Charles Riechert –
The box came on time and the durian was cold and slightly frozen. I loved the Arancillo and Swarscoff.
Lindsay –
Hey Charles,
We are so glad the durians arrived on time and were still slightly frozen, as it should be! Those are good choices for favorites 😉
Itay Gazit –
Durian arrived in great condition and tasted awesome. Better than what you buy in Asian markets.
The price is good. Lindsay and Richard’s should be proud of their Durian project
Dee (verified owner) –
BEST BOX YET! I loved this one. 5 varieties. All great. Lots of fruit. Very happy.
Lindsay –
Hey Dee, super glad to hear that! I guess you found your durians 🙂
Chelsey (verified owner) –
This was my second box from YoTD and it was awesome! The differences seemed subtler than in the Penang box, yet each one was fun in it’s own way. Arancillo was easily my favorite, it had a depth to its sweetness and a clarity in its flavor that lingered and made me giddy. The bonus marang was also delightful! Shame I was only able to make the durian last four days 😭
Cheyenne Clark (verified owner) –
It’s so nice to be able to try so many different types of durian! This is my third box. They all taste completely different. My favorites were Arancillo closely followed by the Umali and Swarscoff.
Lindsay –
Thank you Cheyenne! 🙌🏻 I’m so glad you enjoyed the Umali & Swarscoff, those are new additions this year and it’s so fun to see if people like them!
David (verified owner) –
Very fun experience! The package arrived on time and in great shape. The little extras (the chocolate and marang) perfectly rounded out the experience. If you get marang, save it for last. Trust me, it’s so delicious. I can see durian not being for everyone, but the different flavors were incredible. Don’t believe the negative hype, they do taste garlicy/oniony, but the other complex flavors are outta this world. I’d definitely try again!
Lindsay –
Thank you for the feedback and tip on saving Marang for last! We’re glad they rounded out your durian tour experience 🙂 🙂
Yes! We are so glad that more Americans are getting to know the complexities of durian 😊
Angela Lopez (verified owner) –
This was my first ever taste of durian. The box arrived all intact, cold to the touch, and super pungent smelling! At first the Sulphur smell/taste was shocking and I thought wow, these people really sold me some nonsense, I’ve always been pretty broad-paletted and open minded but these are just stinky and gross. I put the box in the fridge, and soon the whole house smelled like Sulphur, and I guess that all encompassing aroma just….broke down my walls lol I embraced the scent by living in it and so the next time I took the durian out to eat, I thought oh my gosh, I actually taste the flavors like cookie dough and berry that made me buy this in the first place! Each time I snacked after that they got better and better, the texture becoming more addictive like ice cream and the flavors totally hitting the spot and even showing me new spots I didn’t know I had haha. Five stars from West Virginia, now a whole bunch of hillbillies know what durian are 😂