“Classic Chili de Arbol. Cultivated for 500 years, Chile de Arbol has become a favourite for chefs for its complex, fresh flavour. The peppers in this sauce are grown in South Carolina by famed pepper farmer Smokin’ Ed Currie of Puckerbutt Pepper Co who knows that quality makes a classic”
Was quite excited to get this – what chilli head hasn’t watched at least a few “Hot Ones” episodes on YouTube?! These sauces don’t come cheap in the UK, so getting some of them in was a bit of an indulgence.
This one’s marked as being heat level 2/10, but being “Hot Ones”, I had no idea about how they calibrate their scale. Turns out I needn’t have worried; this one’s a tame, domesticated animal (and one that’s probably snoozing in the sun).
Ingredients list is nice and short; mashed Arbol, finished with a little vinegar, salt, garlic and turmeric.
Taste wise, it’s very pleasant; can definitely pick up on the hints of turmeric, however for me, the heat is really, really absent. It’s just kind of akin to being a small-batch spicy ketchup. Finished the bottle pretty quickly!
4/10 – Good flavour-wise, but for me, needs more kick. Time to work my way up the scale!