Durian Comparisons
Two durians, side by side, with a straight answer at the top. Most of these come down to something more interesting than taste: whether the name on the sign is the clone in the box.
Black Thorn vs Musang King: Which One Should You Buy
Black Thorn is the creamy, sweet, mild-smelling one. Musang King is the bittersweet, intense one. Both are checked at the base, for different marks.
D101 vs D24 Durian: Which Should You Buy
What is sold as D101 is almost always D168 Mas Johor, so this comparison is really D168 against D24, two different clones entirely.
D13 vs D24: Which One Should You Buy
D13 is the sweeter, milder, frequently mislabelled one. D24 is the older bittersweet benchmark.
XO vs D24 Durian: Same Clone, Different Handling
XO is D24 left on the tree to ferment, not a separate clone, so the price gap is about handling and risk, not genetics.
Why most durian comparisons are really naming problems
Malaysia's Department of Agriculture has been registering durian clones by D number since 1934, and the register has passed 200 varieties. Stall signs do not always follow it. Three substitutions come up often enough that they decide most comparisons before flavour does.
XO is not a clone
It is D24 left to ferment longer on the tree, so comparing XO with D24 is comparing a fruit with itself, handled differently. It is also often mislabelled D2, which is Dato Nina, a different clone in its own right.
The D101 you are sold is usually D168
True D101 is Bangkok Tree 16, a Thai-origin seedling registered in 1970 from Serdang, which most Malaysians have never tasted. D168 is Mas Johor, registered 1989.
Red Prawn in Singapore is often D13
Real Red Prawn is D175 from Penang. Separate the two by seed size, whether thorns run to the base, and husk colour.