It's the best smoked chilli in the world,
one of the few peppers in the world to be awarded a protected appellation.
This designation guarantees that the product comes from the specific region of La Vera and is made according to strictly defined traditional methods.
The DOP was granted in 1998, and protects not only the name, but also the production methods, cultivation and specific characteristics of the product.
Pimentón comes in three main varieties, each with distinct characteristics in terms of flavor and culinary use, corresponding to the specific varieties of peppers grown in the region:
Dulce (Sweet): This variety is mild and slightly sweet sweet. It is produced mainly from Bola (or Ñora) peppers.
Pimentón dulce is used to add color color and mild flavor to dishes without adding spiciness.
Agridulce (Sweet and sour) : This is an intermediate variety, offering a slightly spicy but still mild flavor.
It is made from from Jaranda peppers. Its slightly bitter aroma is very characteristic and unique to this variety.
Picante (Piquant) : This variety is the strongest of the three, produced mainly from Jariza peppers.
Pimentón picante has a moderate strength, around 1000 Scoville units Scovilles.
We buy our chillies directly from a Spanish spanish producer, who produces them in the same artisanal way the monks of the Ysuste monastery have been producing them since the Middle Ages.
It all starts with growing peppers, specific to the La Vera region and adapted to its climate and soil and harvested in late summer or early autumn. The peppers are then harvested by hand, enabling a meticulous selection of the best fruits, harvested when fully ripe to guarantee optimum flavor. Drying, a crucial stage, is carried out with hot smoke for around for around two weeks in traditional dryers known as "secaderos", which are like two-storey houses: the fire on the ground floor, the peppers peppers on the second floor. The drying process uses holm oak and chestnut wood the only two varieties authorized by the AOC, giving paprika its characteristic paprika's characteristic smoky aroma.
The best chillies in the world, really.
We use the agridulce version in the FUMADO, and the picante version in the FUMATA.
Find out more :
Introduction to Pimentón de la Vera
Immerse yourself in the world of Pimentón de la Vera, an exceptional Spanish smoked paprika. Learn more about its varieties and the traditional manufacturing process that makes it a unique ingredient in the kitchen.
Discover Pimentón de la Vera
Discover the secrets of Pimentón de la Vera, Spain's D.O.C. certified smoked paprika. Explore its varieties and artisanal production process, from field to kitchen, to understand why this pepper is the best in the world.
Text & images by Thibault Fournal.
Copyright SWET 2025.