9 Reasons Musang King Is The Best Durian You Need To Try

The durian fruit is not something that people throughout the world know about as it is mainly found in Southeast Asia. And it’s tendency to be consumed fresh means that not a lot of supply goes to the rest of the world outside that geographic region.

It is commonly referred to as the king of fruits in that part of the world.

For those who knows about this fruit and has actually encountered it, it can be described as a fruit that you can either handle or not because of the it’s pungent aroma.

People who dislike durians describe the aroma as like the smell of garbage, vomit, and even sweaty socks that has been left for days. And they are often stunned that durian parties are regularly organized by lovers of the fruit. Whereas those who love durians can often describe it as heavenly, out-of-this-world, and a tasty natural dessert.

Without going into the science of this polarizing extreme of perceptions, it should be said that a lot of people who dislike the fruit due to it’s aroma turned out loving the fruit after tasting it.

This is the spiky paradox of the durian fruit.

For the many varieties of durians that are cultivated in Thailand and Malaysia, one particular type of durian has claimed the throne of king among the king of fruits in the 2000s and has continued to reign supreme ever since.

That is musang king. Also known as mao shan wang (MSW).

If you can handle the smell of durians without throwing up, here is why you simply have to try it.

1) Intensely deep durian flavor

If you have always had a curiosity of what the flavour of durian taste like, musang king will be the most powerful naturally flavored durian you’d be able to find.

Maybe you have tried something like the famous Thai durian Monthong and like it. Maybe you have tried durian treats like candy and find them tasty.

Now that you have a foot in the door, putting a fruitlet of MSW into your mouth will be like being shoved into that door.

No one would be able to cast any doubt into your mind about what durian taste like.

2) Consistent taste

Durians is a sensitive fruit that even the slightest climate anomaly can cause the harvest to go haywire.

This means that a durian today can taste different from one tomorrow. Even if they came from the same tree.

However, one reason musang king is able to conquer the mass market because it is amazingly consistent in taste. Even if a musang king durian is judge to be of a lower grade, the flavour is still going to pack quite a punch that other inferior cultivars would not be able to match.

I’m someone who can handle durians. And the first time I had musang king, I went WOW!

It’s just incredible that mother nature has crafted this natural dessert worthy of a 5-star hotel to gift the planet.

3) Amazing color

It’s not just the taste that can take your breath away. The bright vivid yellow flesh that greets you once your pry open the husk can be jaw-dropping.

They can sometimes be a shimmering gold.

Have you found yourself mouth-watering from looking at delightful food on Instagram? With MSW durian, you are going to experience that. The best part is that you get to gobble it down immediately.

4) Mature fruits

It is common knowledge that fruit trees produce more delicious fruits as they get older.

Musang king trees have been around of decades.

So a lot the MSWs available today are already in the best quality that they can be.

5) Better than other durians

If you have any doubts about the greatness of MSW, just try out another durian of a different cultivar.

Nothing is going to be as fulfilling as MSW. Just give it a test.

I can tell you now that you are just wasting time, money and calories on other species of durians.

6) Make desserts

The delightful flavor of musang king makes it a great addition to desserts to up the ante for your sweet tooth.

Many desserts can actually taste magical just by adding durians.

Some include yogurt, cakes, brownies, etc.

So much do durians blend so nicely as desserts that there is an entire industry solely based on durian desserts and treats.

7) Boast to your friends

Sometimes nothing is more satisfying than boasting to your friends about having tried foods that are exotic or very hard to come by.

Maybe a lot of your friends cannot handle the scent of durians.

You can now tell them that you have tried it and loved it.

8) Widely available

Unlike old times, transport of durians from one part of the world to another can be near impossible.

Even if that could have been done, the quality of the durian would have greatly degraded once it arrives at the destination.

The good thing about living in current times is that these worldwide logistic challenges has markedly improved in the last decade.

We can get our hands on a premium musang king that is still rather fresh anywhere in the world as long as we are willing to pay for it.

This also means that you don’t have to deal with the shady sales tactics that durian sellers are known for.

In fact, if you have ever considered that you have to at least try durian once in your life, you might want to get a MSW now because of the next factor.

9) Price is going up

As freezing technology has developed remarkably in recent years, musang king demand is expected to rise considerably in the next decade and beyond.

This is because freezing tech allows more durians to be exported globally.

With the current supply hardly enough to keep up with Asia’s demand, imagine what would happen when the demand goes global.

I’ve seen research reports about how this durian’s price can rise to above $200 per kilogram by 2025.

Even though I have reservations about that prediction, I wouldn’t write it off either.

So let’s enjoy the MSW available today when it’s still affordable to the masses before it becomes luxury fruit that only the rich can afford.