Trinidad Scorpion Moruga – The World’s Hottest Chili Pepper

Ever since the ghost pepper took the crown for the world’s hottest pepper in 2007 in seems the race for the new hottest pepper has accelerated. That said meet the Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blend (or is it Morouga?). According to the photo being circulated Jim Duffy of Refining Fire Chiles the pepper(s) Jim had tested came in at over 2 million scoville units. If true that would crush the previous record of 1,463,700 set by the Butch T Trinidad Scorpion pepper. Prior to the Butch T the Naga Viper had the record for very short period of time and was measured at 1,382,118 scoville heat units.

At 2,009,231 the Moruga is a screamer for sure but what I find interesting is the highs and lows reported on the chart. The bhut jolokia actually beat out the 7 pot and Trinidad scorpion peppers on the high end. The record setting Moruga pepper is on the low end of the heat scale on the low end of measurement. The chocolate 7 pot took 2nd and in this test had the highest score on the low end of the range. Perhaps that signifies a more consistent heat level with that type of pepper.

While Jim may take credit for this grow and for the getting it recorded as the hottest pepper in the world I did some digging to see if I could find who/how and where this pepper started growing in the united states. I was pleasantly surprised, it looks like Christopher Phillips, aka cmpman1974 was the first to acquire the seeds and start spreading them to the pepper community. According to Chris “I got them originally in early 2007. Sent seeds across the world in 2008. They’ve been grown in a lot of countries now. 🙂 It’s a definitely landrace in Trinidad as told to me by my original source. I have no doubt it’s stable.”  Not only does Chris take some of best pepper pictures on earth he’s also a very generous guy. A nice section of my garden this year is dedicated to yellow bhut jolokia seeds Chris sent me a few months ago:-) Thanks for all you do for the pepper community Chris!

(Jim Duffy later confirmed that his seeds were given to him by a source that received them from Chris)

Here’s a classic moruga pepper taste test video from the The Hippy Seed Company:

This guy does a nice job with his review too: Trinidad Scorpion Morouga Blend Homegrown Pod Test

Another good review (some foul language)

http://youtu.be/h_4SRJyDdG8

Another good one, Buddah vs the Moruga Scorpion

http://youtu.be/BjRMZmAS3i0

McDermotts vs Trinidad Scorpion Morouga

Recommended by Jim Duffy

If you would like to read more or discuss the morouga blend pepper check these out…

New World Record??? We Shall See
Moruga Scorpion New Worlds Hottest Pepper
Is this a TS Morouga? (a little older but stop by and give Chris props for spreading the seeds!)
New Record Holder, the Moruga Scorpion Pepper
The Moruga Scorpion, The New Heat Champ?
Moruga Scorpion – Hits 2 Million Scoville Units
Moruga Scorpion – The Hottest Chili Pepper in the World
It’s official : De nieuwe kampioen is er !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moruga Scorpion e il nuovo record di piccantezza?
Introducing the Jimmy D Moruga Scorpion, the World’s Hottest Pepper
New Worlds Hottest Chilli – Again
What is a Moruga Scorpion
Trinidad Scorpion “Morouga Blend” (C. Chinense) (awesome pictures)
2 Million scoville – Moruga Scorpion
Moruga Scorpion is the World’s Hottest Chile Pepper?
Alweer een nieuwe heetste peper
A Few Minutes With Jim Duffy….. (an interview from 2011 where Jim talks about the moruga tests)
The 2M TSMB: Interpreting the results
February 2012 Poll: Do you think a new chile pepper will ever replace the Moruga Scorpion as the hottest?
Brain Strain vs TS morouga
The Results – Moruga Scorpion – Is it the new Hottest Chilli Pepper?
The Facts Behind the Moruga Scorpion and the Chile Pepper Institute Super-Hot Study: A Talk With Jim Duffy
2 Million Scovilles

Looking for Moruga pepper seeds? I would recommend…

Refining Fire Chiles
The Hippy Seed Company
Old Barn Nursery (they have dried pods too!)

You can also try the Pepper Search Engine.

40 thoughts on “Trinidad Scorpion Moruga – The World’s Hottest Chili Pepper

    1. pepperseed Post author

      @Leon

      That’s just lazy reporting. The ghost pepper / bhut jolokia lost the official record a long time ago. If this one sticks, and I have no doubt that it will, the one it passed is the Butch T.

      Reply
  1. Jim Duffy

    Yes I want to thank Chris for spreading these around the last 3 years. I got mine from a European grower named Jukka 3 yrs ago. I never asked him his source. It is one of my favorite varieties because it grows much easier than the other Scorpions. I have plenty of seeds for sale now and lots of Plants for sale in April. And I have a few thousand plants growing in the greenhouse right now for produce! It’s going to be a great year!

    Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      Hi Jim,

      Thanks for the comment. I have been following all of the various forum threads and other information sources that are talking about this pepper. I’m curious about the the name. You have said that you received seeds from a source that received them from Chris. Chris has stated and his pictures have shown the name of this pepper as the Trinidad Scorpion Morouga Blend but in your pictures and posts on the subject you call it the Moruga Scorpion. How come you’re spelling Morouga differently and dropping the “blend”. Just curious.

      Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Chatchai Chantawongvuti

      Dear Jim Duffy,

      I am interesting in Trinidad Scorpion Moruga – The World’s Hottest Chili Pepper’ seed. I you can share it to me, please advise the price you want to sell.

      Best regards,

      Chatchai C.

      Reply
  2. Jim Duffy

    I am happy to answer your question. First of all like I said earlier I obtained my seeds from Jukka. I did not know Chris at that time and Jukka had the pepper named Morouga Scorpion on his website. I guessed he named it that because it does get a slight scotch bonnet shape like other scorpion peppers and sometimes a small tail. So anyways when writing the background for this pepper for my website I noticed Moruga was mispelled (morouga) so I corrected it to reflect the correct spelling which is Moruga. I think back in 2009 Jukka might have called it Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Blend. Then later shortened it to Moruga Scorpion which is easier to remember. I hope this answers your questions.

    Reply
  3. Jim Duffy

    Hey if you want a good video of Moruga and the second place Chocolate 7 Pot (Douglah) check out Derrick’s vids at Hot Sauce Honcho or youtube Derrick vs Moruga and Derrick vs Douglah. Videos are clean.

    Reply
  4. Jim Duffy

    Hey if you want a good video of Moruga Scorpion and the second place Chocolate 7 Pot (Douglah) check out Derrick’s vids at Hot Sauce Honcho or youtube Derrick vs Moruga and Derrick vs Douglah. Videos are clean.

    Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      Thanks Jim, that is a good one. I’m adding it to the post now. Looks like the news is breaking in the mainstream press today, brace yourself!

      Reply
  5. Cory

    Hey guys! Great blog and GREAT article! I was wondering what the growing conditions are for these peppers? I live in Alabama, and we experience some pretty dry and hot summers, so I am hoping to get some of these seeds and make some KILLER barbecue sauce and other goodies out of them! Thanks so much for any growing info, I spent some time on Google and came up with nothing, so I figured why not ask the guys who probably know it the best! -Cory

    Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      Hey Corey,

      Thanks for stopping by. You’ll have no problems growing these in Alabama. People grow them all over the USA (and world) with no problems. You’ll want to start the seeds early – like now – so the peppers have time to mature before the end of your season. I wrote a post awhile back with some tips for growing peppers from seed, check it out:
      https://thepepperseed.com/growing-peppers/growing-peppers-from-seed/

      Stop by anytime with questions, always happy to help a fellow pepper grower!

      Reply
      1. Cory

        Thank you IMMENSELY! I love it when people are so willing to help a fellow gardener. I will be getting some pepper seeds next week then and give them a go in my garden, but I’m going to keep them far away from the other plants like my tomatoes, don’t have any desire to grow the world’s hottest tomato! Ha, thanks again and have a great growing season.

        Reply
        1. pepperseed Post author

          No problem. I grow my super hots by tomatoes all the time, there’s nothing to worry about. The heat won’t contaminate the other plants 🙂

          Reply
  6. dan77

    i looked 2 days ago and seeds on the refinefire site were $9 and now I go to order today and they are $27! you have to be kidding me what a rip off!

    Reply
    1. Jim Duffy

      I did not change the price. But made it a combo pack of 3 packs of seeds that includes two other superhot varieties 7 Pot and sunrise scorpion. So you are getting 2 packs of seeds plus 1 pack of Moruga seeds for a total of $27. I did this because I will be running out soon. So not ripping anyone off. Does this make sense to you?

      Reply
      1. Pepper Joe

        Jim,
        We’ve been down this road before.
        You tell Dan77 “I did not change the price” and “So not ripping anyone off”.
        Come on Jim.
        The facts are that one day the Moruga was offered for $9.
        Then you changed the offer and charged $27 bucks for the Moruga and 2 other packs of seeds. A customer CANNOT buy the Moruga as of today 7/8/12 unless they buy all 3 packs of seeds and pay $27 bucks. I just checked your website.
        A lot of folks don’t want to be forced to buy 3 packs of seeds just to get the Moruga.
        A lot of folks cannot afford $27 bucks.
        If someone wants the Moruga seeds badly, the only way to get them on your website is pay $27 bucks.
        You’ve come under a lot of criticism on other chilehead forums like TheHotPepper for this price gouging.
        I’ll have a ton of Moruga seeds in about a week and we’re selling them for $8.99
        Also, we’re expecting breaking news soon on the NEXT Worlds Hottest Pepper and I hope to be one of only 2 exclusive seed vendors. How much will we charge for the next Champ? Under $10. Of course we have many hot pepper seeds for $2.99 and $3.99….but the costs involved with these SuperHots are high as you know.
        My guess Jim is that after all of this criticism that you’ve had, you’ll lower your price on the Moruga.
        It doesn’t matter. Customers will remember you and be mad….like Dan 77 and the many others that have blasted you for this. You can lower the price to $4 bucks now if you want….folks will remember.
        At first you said that you raised the price so high because somebody was going to buy the seeds and sell them on Ebay and deplete your inventory. I suggested that rather than raise the price to $27 Bucks you just limit 1 pack of seeds per customer. Business 101.
        $27 bucks is a lot of dough.
        🙂
        Look Jim, I don’t want to turn this into the Battle of the Seed guys. But I didn’t appreciate it when you went on my Facebook page and offered the Moruga seeds for less. I have 42,000 Facebook fans there and they saw what you did. I received a bunch of emails about it. They weren’t happy with you.
        I also have 20,000 Newsletter subscribers that love Hot Peppers and Gardening. And we put out 50,000 catalogs.
        I speak to a large audience.
        The best thing you can do is fess up, lower the price and move on.
        $27 bucks is a lot of money.
        Pepper Joe

        Reply
        1. Jim Duffy

          Joe first you use my photos without my permission and then you slander me on your Facebook page. And you expect me to not respond on your FaceBook page! When I harvest my new seeds in a few weeks and have more quantity I will offer individual packets for a lower price than you. But I will also offer the Combo pack at a new reduced price for those that want a deal on 3 varieties together. But for now I have lots of Moruga plants still for sale on my website until the end of July. Really nice well started plants. I do want to thank you personally for bringing my name up on your Facebook page of 42,000 Fans. Because I got a ton of plant sales that week from some of them because of that. So thanks for exposing me to a bunch of new customers!

          Reply
            1. Pepper Joe

              Hey Gang….here’s an update….the Moruga Pepper is harvested, packed and ready to ship at http://www.pepperjoe.com/shoppingcart/html/pepper.html
              It has tested and grown extremely well at our growing gardens in Myrtle Beach, SC, Florida (3 locations), North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania. The pepper is hefty and when you cut it you get hit with a hot fruity/citrus smell (some say cinnamon). Very tasty and a prolific grower.
              Fiery Regards,
              Pepper Joe

              Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      What part of the country (or world) do you live in and do you plan on growing them outdoors? It can take 5 – 7 months for me….that’s from starting the seed germination process (Feb) until harvesting the first pods (July/August).

      Reply
  7. jay fisher

    Hi Jim, I am interested in some plants. I had two dozen going before I went on vacation and my house sitter killed them all. I may be able to salvage one. Can you reply with a way I can get in touch with you to order?

    Reply
  8. Keith Kennedy

    I am very interested in growing this pepper and would like to purchase some plants as it is already April and starting from seeds is not a good option for me at this time. Can you post reply on how to purchase thanks.

    Reply
  9. Jose Jekeri Taningco

    I would like to purchase moruga scorpion seeds. please tell me how, the payment, can it be shipped in the Philippines. Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon.

    Reply
  10. Bonney abdul

    I am from Trinidad. Eating hot peppers is a past time. People here just enjoy a
    Wide variety of some of the hottest pepper known to man. I am living in Malaysia now, And have bought with me some of the best seeds available from home. Just started planting as it’s June and very hot climate here. Will have seed available
    After harvest.
    Bonney

    Reply
  11. Johnny Flatner

    In the 70’s I lived at Hotel Le Meridien Martinique. Had dinner at the pool restaurant. The crab appetizer was garnished with a slice of red paprika. I ate it and felt immediately it wasn’t paprika but potent chili. After a while I lost my sight. I was totally blinded which lasted probably 5-10 minutes. If the chili had come into contact with the eyes in some way it would have burned, but it didn’t. How was it possible to be totally blinded?
    Any medical explanation?

    Reply
  12. Antoine Dixon

    Greetings everyone I can’t wait for the next pepper growing season. Jim I will be ordering live brain strain, fatalli, and bhut plants from you.

    Reply
  13. Antoine Dixon

    I had a great season with habaneros and bhut. I would love to try the caramel bhut, peach bhut, and the brain strain

    Reply
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