Super boring answer contained within...mostly because I don't like super-hots.

NuMex Joe E. Parker Anaheim (very productive)

Aji Dulce #2 (sweet fruity flavor fresh+drying)

Ancho San Luis Poblanos (extremely consistent, productive)

Serrano (purely for heat, crazy productive and easy to portion)

Crunch Sweet Orange (wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't include it...only sweet thick-fleshed pepper I grow).

...honorable mention for Pasilla Bajio (thin-fleshed mole pepper)...I would even trade this with the San Luis Poblano if buying a grocery store replacement/equivalent for a poblano was an option in this scenario. It's hard to find Pasilla Bajio around here unless you want them dried.

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I'm editing in a bit more info since this is a "learning" thread as much as anything...

NuMex Joe E. Parker - suitable replacements are NuMex Big Jim (slightly hotter + larger pods, productive) and NuMex Heritage 6-4 (noticeably hotter + great flavor).

Aji Dulce #2 - best (imo) suitable replacement is Aji Dulce #1. There are lots of different types of Aji Dulce (even with different pod shapes) depending on the location they've been historically cultivated...some like the flavor of #1 better. Also, Jimmy Nardello serves a similar purpose, though it's not as fruity. All are great for drying or fresh eating.

This post was edited by nc-crn on Sat, Aug 31, 13 at 22:30

Top 5?

First I would choose the variety I like.
Second I would choose the container size.
Third I would prune the plant according to the size I like.

I love to eat fresh chili, cooking reduce the taste and flavor. After cooking or pickle it has a different taste but I like the fresh most.

I would grow:

1. Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Yellow
2. Ghost Orange
3. Ghost Red
4. Habanero Magnum
5. Fatali Yellow

Caelian

Top 5:

Biker Billy - high yield, good heat, great flavor

Tabasco - must......have......tabasco......sauce

Guajillo - must have for chili - and enchilada sauce

Holy Mole - again, it's a must have for chili (pasilla)

Ancho Mexican Large - have to have at least one poblano, good flavor and very versatile.

Pam

Top 5

Ghost - has the best flavor IMHO
Chocolate Hab - great flavor
Fatalii Yellow - another great tasting pepper
Still searching
Still searching

I have to grow many more varieties to come up with a top 5

Mark

Thanks guys...Mark this is what I'm looking for. I'm going to grow Ghost and Fatalii Yellow next year...know of a source for good Chocolate Hab seeds?
Jerry

Hi Jerry, just as long as you can handle the heat the Bhut is great. Fatalii is about habanero heat with better flavor. I have chocolate Hab seeds. Shoot me an email with your address, I don't mind sending you some chocolate hab seeds.

Mark

nc-crn where can I find seed for the Aji Dulce #2? It sounds like one I'd really like to try.
Jerry

Theres a few sources out there...

I got mine from Tomato Grower's Supply Company. I didn't grow any this year or last year or I'd offer up some of my seed. I've been a bit space limited in the new house I'm in.

I still have a decent amount that I dried a few years ago and keep in a sealed container...I keep the pods whole and crush/grind a few pods when I need to replenish my spice rack.

I agreed with Ghost Expert Mark's opinion about ghost. Mark has more than three years experiences of ghost. I do not have growing experiences like him but eating experiences :-)
Caelian

Chocolate ghost- flavor (can't have a pizza without a fresh diced chocolate bhut on it)
Orange hab- productivity and taste
Cayenne- powders and production
Sweet banana- because divorce is expensive lol
Unsure of number 5...red hab maybe.

1. brain strain 7pot - right now it's probably my favorite pepper. excellent fruity smell and flavor. a must have, to me at least.
2. some sort of hab - I just love habs. a lot. they're versatile, high yield, and plenty of heat. not sure which variety as I've only grown orange, but by the end of next year I'll probably have a favorite.
3. tabasco - delicious pepper, good heat profile (instantaneous burn, not delayed onset like the bhut), unreasonably high yields, early producer. that pepper checks all the main boxes for me as a grower.
4. bhut - it's just a must have. it's a crowd pleaser, and it has a great flavor, and for what it's worth: name recognition.
5. another brain strain - I haven't gotten the best yields from that guy, and I love him so much, that the only solution is to have 2.

I've grown maybe about 15 different peppers total both sweet and hot. So I am sure down the line I will pick up new favorites.

1. Chimayo - very productive and good size fruits. When you bite into it, it starts off crunchy, juicy and sweet. Then several seconds later the heat kicks in. It is not super hot, heat is about as hot as a jalapeno but I like it cause the flavor is complex and is a good pepper to use on just about anything. Good for drying as well.

2. Cayenne - A good hot pepper. Good for drying and using as spice. Good for your health as well.

3. Aji Limon - In the medium hot range. Has citrusy undertones and a little juicy. I love to make salsa with this pepper. Plant eventually grows bushy and produces hundreds of pods.

4. Serrano - another pepper great for salsa and cooking. Love to use them when they are red and ripe. Very fruity and a good amount of heat.

5. Hot Cherry - I almost went with pepperoncini because that plant was really productive. However, Hot cherry beats it hands down. I have a plant that is 2 years old and over 6 foot and it produces hundreds and hundreds of peppers nonstop for about 9 -10 months out of the year. I also find these peppers to be versatile; I use them to pickle, stuff, roast, eat fresh etc.

You know what really sucks? When you take time to send seeds out to someone who asked for them, and they can't even take the time to respond that they received them. Even after you e-mailed and asked. That's what I call ungrateful! Funny how fate intervenes.

Tim

You OK there Tim? Lol. If they won't respond then simply sigh up for all kinda porn sites using their email address. :-) don't get mad, get even.

I'm good. I apologize. I've just had a rough day and decided to vent. I apologize. This really isn't the place. Let's get back to why people are really here....plants. Thanks for getting me back on track SC.

Tim

NP novice. So what's your top 5? And PS I reply with thanks if I'm given seeds lol

Ghost, Jalapeno, Cayenne,Crunch Sweet Orange, Chimayo.

Tim

Tim, I certainly appreciate the seeds you sent me. never got any emails from you, but I certainly got some seeds. if it makes you feel any better, it certainly made my day when I got those in the mail. heck, it made my week. gonna be growing most of them next season.

I wasn't referring to you. I apologize. I didn't mean to stir things up. I was having a bad day yesterday and I used this forum improperly to vent. I enjoy sending seeds to people. I don't want anyone to think I'm upset. It won't happen again.

Tim