Let's face it: No other fruit in the world has a worse reputation. Not only is durian ugly looking, it also suffers from permanent body odour. 

Despite the odds stacked up against it, the fruit has held durian lovers captive. They adore everything it's hated for. The more pungent the smell, the better it seems to taste. Its high price hasn't brought down demand either.

Just what is it about durian that sets the lovers and haters apart? Why does it have different names, smells and tastes? Our guide will turn you into a durian pro, helping you identify the different types and tastes the next time you shop for the fruit.

Indulging in a Singaporean passion
Retired trader Thomas Chong and his wife Rosalyn represent both sides of the husk: He loves it but she hates it. Thomas is such a huge fan of the King of Fruit that he takes day-long organised durian tours to Johor Bahru. In fact, he will eat very little the day before he embarks on these tours to maximise his appetite at those all-you-can-eat durian buffets. In Singapore, he buys D24 durians all year round and seeks out desserts or food items that have even a smidgen of durian.

His passion is not shared by his wife, who avoids durian like the plague. The noxious fumes, combined with the high fat and cholesterol content, are enough to make Rosalyn put an embargo on having them anywhere in their five-room flat.

Love it or hate it, the fruit is both highly-prized and highly-priced. Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia supply the bulk of this region's durians all year round. According to a 2006 report in The Straits Times, Singapore gets 90 percent of its durian supply from Malaysia. Malaysia's season is during the mid-year, Thailand's peak output is between mid-April and mid-June, while Indonesia's main durian-growing area of North Sumatra churns out the prickly balls all year round with its favourable tropical climate.  

Durian goes high-tech
Durian has not escaped the cultivating hands of modern science and technology. Just like pets, they have been tinkered with and crossbred. Durian has now been fiddled with so you can choose one with an alcoholic aftertaste, a specific aromatic flavour, and reddish or dark-coloured flesh.

About two years ago, a Thai government scientist came up with a durian variety that smells as inoffensive as a banana. When we asked whether Thomas would buy this variety for Rosalyn to try, he scoffed and said, "The worse the smell, the better it tastes. Ask the French- would they eat cheese if it doesn't stink?"

A spot-on observation indeed. With all that action behind the scenes, it's no wonder these propagated varieties fetch higher prices than their forefathers. Some of them are quirkily named after animals, alphabets and numbers. It's no easy walk through the plantation having a durian recognised with a D-prefix, for example. The Department of Agriculture in Malaysia has the responsibility of choosing durians of a superior breed, yield and taste characteristics from Malaysian farmers before conferring the coveted D-status in chronological order.

Alan Teo, a durian-lover for the past 30 years, observed that durians with a D-prefix seemed to be pricier. "The premium durians with designer-sounding names like 'Mao Shan Wang' and 'XO' can be very expensive too," he added.

How do I eat durian? Let me count the ways...
Although a good supply of Singapore's durians are crossbred species, durian sellers are quick to point out that the cheaper varieties sell well too. Sims Avenue durian stall manager T.C. Tan says that the more affordable "kampong" durians are sold as whole fruits at his stall. The extra weight from the durian husks and shell are excluded. These are popular with customers who bake and cook with bulk durian flesh, and just need an overall durian flavour instead of a specific taste that a pricier variety would have. "Definitely no problem clearing these, since everyone has different taste in durian flavours," he said confidently.

When it comes to durian in food, Singaporeans are spoilt for choice. There are at least three different chain stores selling durian strudels and puffs across the island. Durian custard pudding and sticky rice durian are also dessert favourites in Thai restaurants here.

And if you like your durian with a touch of class, Goodwood Park Hotel is known for its annual Durian Fiesta, which features durian flesh in puffs and cakes. Its spokeswoman says that this year's fiesta will be extended to 10 August instead of 31 July in previous years to cope with increased demand. "The economic downturn has not affected our Durian Fiesta at all. In fact, we've seen a significant increase in durian pastries sales this year as compared to last year," says Dorothy Lim, senior marketing communications executive at the hotel.

 
Know your durian
If you prefer your durian with husks and all, there are the good old durian stalls concentrated along the Sims Avenue stretch in Geylang and the Joo Chiat cluster. Have you passed by one but felt intimidated by parang-wielding stallholders to ask what those alphabets and letters mean? Read on.

Country of origin: Thailand 

Mon Thong (meaning "golden pillow"): Fleshiest of all durian varieties with a mild taste. A good starter for those new to the durian business, its pale-coloured flesh makes it less repugnant than the fiery reds and oranges on some of the crossbred varieties. The Mon Thong is one of the most popular varieties because it can be harvested weeks before ripening, making it easy to transport to regional countries.

Chan Nee (meaning "gibbon"): Less fleshy than the Mon Thong, it also has a slightly more pungent taste and smell than its Thai counterpart. 

Ganja: The name has a slight reference to a drug-induced haze, but what Ganja durians are capable of doing is only overpowering you with its extremely sweet flesh. You'll get a sugar high from its perky yellow flesh-definitely a legitimate way to enjoy feeling good.

Country of origin: Malaysia

D4: This one has a wholly bitter taste, but its fleshiness makes up for it. It resembles vanilla custard with its white-pale yellow colour but there is nothing sweet about the D4.

D11: A crowd-pleaser, this is one of the less pungent varieties around. Its smooth and creamy flesh is accompanied with a sweet aftertaste. 

D15: Yet another super-fleshy variety, the D15 has a tinge of bitterness but a creamy and sweet ending. You almost can't find the seed for this variety because of its abundant flesh. Fans have been known to feel quite "jelak" after consuming too much of this. 

D24: Considered the "rich man's durian" for its high price, it is characterised by its bittersweet taste and signature dark yellow flesh. With small seeds and a succulent yield, you won't mind paying more for this since you'll be getting a lot in return!

XO: The name says it all. The alcoholic aftertaste lingers longer than its bitter taste. If you're a fan of the sweeter variety, give this a miss. This is one of the most expensive varieties available.

Hong Xia (meaning "red prawn"): Said to resemble the colour of a cooked prawn, this one's for those who love a softer texture. The reddish-orangey thin flesh is aromatic and hits you even before you open the husk.

101: If you want to take the guesswork out of choosing a sweet variety, head for the 101. The reddish, plump flesh promises to please.

Hor Lor (meaning "water gourd"): Its definitive shape opens up to reveal soft flesh. But bite into it and you'll find it to be quite dry and bitter. A variety better left to the experienced durian lover, it's also accompanied by a very pungent smell. 

Mao Shan Wang (meaning "mountain cat king"): Considered the grandmaster of durian varieties, its flesh is firm on the outside but creamy on the inside. The bitter taste at the beginning gives way to a sweet ending. One of the most satisfying, it has the main taste characteristics of all the other varieties.


Read our guide on how to buy durian here.