When talking about Kampot pepper, many imagine that there are several varieties of pepper plants.

In reality, it’s the same fruit, harvested at different stages of maturity and then prepared using specific methods.

Each color thus has its own personality, aromas, and culinary uses.

Green pepper

Green pepper is harvested before it ripens.

To preserve its characteristic color and freshness, it is processed immediately after harvest.

It can be sold in several forms:

• Fresh, directly after harvest.
• Dehydrated, to be rehydrated for about ten minutes before use.
• Freeze-dried, a technique that better preserves its fresh fruit aromas.
• In brine, preserved in a salty preparation, like pickles.

Its character

Mild, vegetal, and delicately scented, green pepper brings freshness to dishes without masking their flavors.

Black pepper

Black pepper is undoubtedly the best known.

It is harvested while the peppercorns are still green, just before full maturity.

They are then sun-dried for several days.

During this stage, natural fermentation occurs inside the peppercorn, developing all the aromatic richness that black pepper is famous for.

Its character

Enthusiasts appreciate its notes:

• woody;
• floral;
• slightly minty;
• with a touch of eucalyptus.

It is also the most powerful pepper on the palate.

Red pepper

Red pepper is certainly the rarest.

Unlike black pepper, it is harvested at full maturity, when the peppercorns turn a beautiful orange-red color.

It should not be confused with pink peppercorns, which belong to a completely different species.

Its character

Red pepper develops a particularly elegant aromatic palette:

• fruity notes;
• floral flavors;
• a hint of lemon.

Less spicy than black pepper, it appeals with its great finesse.

White pepper

White pepper also comes from red pepper.

After harvest, the peppercorns are soaked in water for several days.

This step naturally removes the pericarp, the thin outer shell of the peppercorn.

The seeds are then sun-dried.

Its character

White pepper is more subtle.

It reveals aromas of:

• citrus;
• undergrowth;
• fresh herbs.

Its lack of pericarp also makes it gentler on the stomach.

And grey pepper?

Contrary to popular belief, grey pepper is not a variety.

It is simply ground black pepper.

At Chamkar Damnak, it is obtained from peppercorns set aside during grading.

To preserve all its aromas, it must be kept in a perfectly airtight container.

One plant, four taste experiences

What makes Kampot pepper so fascinating is that a single pepper plant can offer an incredible diversity of flavors.

Depending on the harvest date and preparation methods, the peppercorns reveal completely different aromatic profiles.

This richness explains why top chefs love to combine several colors of pepper within the same meal.