johnb

From the bottle, “This is a family sauce. No matter what anyone says, you deserve the love and attention that’s put into each drop. Who knows how this whole thing ends or what tomorrow may bring? I don’t have the answers, but one thing I do know is that this sauce is all the family you’ll ever need. ”

Based on the label I wasn’t sure what to make of this one, but first taste indicated a very mellow but complex sauce. It’s on the thinner side of sauces with respect to viscosity, but is has some fragments of pepper floating around in there. The label lists 7 different peppers (jalapeño, red fresno, habanero, yellow scotch bonnet, bhut jalokia, yellow moruga, brown moruga) and I have to say that I can’t individually identify them in the flavour.

8/10 – I really liked this one. Hot, but mellow and relaxed about it rather than brashly ripping your mouth apart.

A second sauce from “The Planet’s #1 Hot Shop”

Another on from my wife’s recent trip to the US. I have to say, I did wonder, given the Reaper content whether this one was going to break my “no rocket fuel” request! However, this one’s a real blinder..

First off, it doesn’t go too heavy on the Reaper… You know it’s there but the predominant content is actually cayenne. You definitely know that the garlic is there, too…. Delicious! Nice amount of tingly after-burn, I thing they’ve produced a really well balanced sauce for my tastes here!

8/10 – Hoping my wife can get back to that sauce shop soon!

From “The Planet’s #1 Hot Shop”

When my wife asked if there was any sauce she could bring back from a trip to the US, my answer was “surprise me, but no rocket fuel”. This was one of the bottles that came out of her suitcase upon her return!

I’d classify this as a good, solid sauce. Nice hit of heat, detectable up-front sharpness from the vinegar and a mellow trail of garlicy, gingery goodness. Maybe a tiny bit on the sweet side, but I found it to be a good all-rounder and the bottle didn’t last long!

7/10 – Would happily consume again… If anywhere in the UK stocks it!

From the bottle: “Marie Sharp’s Habanero Pepper Sauce is the finest product of its kind. This unique cactus-based blend achieves the perfect balance between flavour and heat.”

Cactus for the win! Compared to most sauces I’ve tried, this one is certainly a little unusual. Many sauces use content such as tomato or carrot as a base. Here, nopal is used. The taste is fresh and light, with a bit of sourness from lime. At first taste it doesn’t seem all that hot, but then there’s the distinctive habanero after-burn, though not overwhelming.

I’ve used this on salads and sandwiches predominantly, adding a bit of fresh zing and subtle heat.

7/10 – Yay for cactus

From the bottle: “Red’s authentic BBQ flavour. Taste and be saved. To worship: Dip anything that needs heat, use it in your cooking, add to chilli, or fish tacos. Even top your popcorn, if you dare. Amen.”

First off I have a bone to pick with this one. I really like the idea of the squeezy bottle with the twist-up lid – in theory is reduces the potential for sticky, messy, gunked-on sauce around the neck of the bottle. However this sauce is relatively thick and the small nozzle which is exposed doesn’t make it eazy to squeeze out. The problem gets worse as you go down the bottle as the thinner part of the sauce (which can escape) is reduced and the remaining liquid gets thicker. Anyway, problem solved by simply removing the top and pouring..

So, having ranted about the bottle, what about the sauce? Well, it’s boring to be honest. For my taste it’s not at all hot and tastes mainly of pineapple, which isn’t really a surprise considering the the 3rd and 4th listed ingredients are pineapple in syrup and concentrated pineapple juice (relegating habanero chilli puree to number 5).

3/10 – Nah.

From the bottle, “Extreme Karma is the perfect hot sauce for fire-tongued daredevils that want to enjoy their food. The world’s hottest peppers are rounded out with butternut squash for everyday enjoyment”

Quite a feisty sauce as you’d expect from something comprised of bhut jolokia and scorpion peppers. The starting flavours are mainly from the butternut squash and cider vinegar with a following touch of sweetness from the honey & then giving way to the pepper burn and tingling tongue.

It’s not something I’d use too liberally, given the heat level, but neither is it something that is too scary.

6/10 – I like it, but it doesn’t speak to my soul.

OK, so I wasn’t a huge fan of the Hot Headz piri piri, but this I like!

Not particularly hot, but really well balanced smokiness, heat and acidity. Quite mellow, in fact. To be used liberally on many things!

8/10 – Colour me impressed

“Lovingly Made in the Fens of England”

Quite a lively sauce, not overpoweringly hot but heat increases over time and there’s a pleasant tingling after burn. Add a dollop of acidity to balance, lace with a little spice and we’re off. It’s not complicated, but it is good.

8/10 – One that sits between the “pour liberally” and “treat with caution”.