3 Key Differences Between Young Trees And Old Trees Durian

There's a saying, "Old is Gold" , or even in Mandarin, "姜还是老的辣". In this article, we are going to share some valuable insights on how to identify an old-tree durian from a young one. 

In general, durians from older trees are said to have a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than those from younger trees.

Durians from younger trees tend to have a milder and simpler taste, with less pronounced flavors and aromas. They may be sweeter and less pungent than durians from older trees, with a softer texture and less pronounced bitterness. This is because younger trees have not yet fully developed their flavor profile, and their fruit may not have had enough time to ripen fully.

On the other hand, durians from older trees tend to have a stronger and more complex taste, with a richer and more varied flavor profile. They may have a more pronounced aroma and flavor, with notes of sweetness, bitterness, and umami. The flesh of older durians may be firmer and drier, with a more distinct texture and less moisture content than younger durians.

However, it's worth noting that the taste of durians can vary widely depending on factors such as the variety of durian, the climate and soil conditions where it was grown, and the ripeness of the fruit when it was harvested. Therefore, it's difficult to make generalisations about the taste of durians based solely on the age of the tree they come from.

Here are a few points we have consolidated to spot the difference! 

1. Appearance

An indication that a durian comes from an older tree is when the skin on the fruit's lobes appears wrinkled. The wrinkles on the durian's skin can give a sense that the fruit is old.

Young durians typically have smoother skin due to a higher moisture content, which can make them look fuller. Durians from younger trees also tend to have less dense and stickier pulp as they need more time to mature.

The higher moisture content in young durians can also dilute their flavor compared to older durians, which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor.

2. Taste 

Durian Connoisseurs could tell if the fruit came from a young tree or an old tree, just by tasting it. The fruits from an old tree is consistent throughout the different "cabins" of the durian.

While on the other hand, the fruits from a young tree may taste a little different throughout the entire fruit.

Truth be told, with this point highlighted, we think we're not Durian connoisseurs yet because we cant tell them apart through taste! 

3. Small Seeds

We always hear the older generation asking this "jiu ji" [small seed in dialect] thing at our stall. What they REALLY REALLY wanted to know is whether a not the fruits they buy would give them a better flesh-to-meat ratio, which meant "more flesh" - better value for their buck. 

Although its commonly known that older tree would have a smaller seed, which meant more "Durian Meat", but its hard to know if the fruit has a small seed just by dehusking alone. It is true that older durian tree would have a better yield ratio, but we cant tell the seed size just by looking at the durians as it is without dehusking. 

 

In summary, as Durian suppliers for over a decide, we think that be it Young or Old, the taste of the Durians may be affected by other climate conditions such as the location of the tree, fertilizers, frequency of irrigations, etc. Theres no simply a golden rule which says "Old will definitely be good".

When it comes to Durians, We think that its more important to find one that is suitable for your liking, rather than focusing on the tree's age. For years, we our Old Tree Musang King 老树猫山王 has been a very popular fruit amongst Durian Lovers. Shop here to view our extensive range of Durians and have them delivered on the same day to your home!