The Great Scorch Off Round One
*Taste tests were conducted by dripping 2 drops of the sauce onto a tortilla chip. Sufficient time and a milk rinse were used between sauces.
*Taste tests were conducted by dripping 2 drops of the sauce onto a tortilla chip. Sufficient time and a milk rinse were used between sauces.
Round One Results
Tabasco – Chipotle Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: National grocery chains, Chipotle Restaurants
Order: http://countrystore.tabasco.com/index_category.cfm?catid=0
Origin: Louisiana
Scorch Level: 2
Flavor: 4
Linger: 3
Rating: 9
Chipotle Tabasco brand hot sauce comes from a historic line of brothers and sisters with the original Tabasco still considered king of the royal family (based on history not necessarily quality). The flavor of chipotle hot sauce is distinctly smoky with a subtle spiciness which follows, much like chipotle peppers themselves of course. The taste is a step away from what you’re probably used to (although good) and the hotness is certainly there but does not last long. This sauce is great for someone with a medium level of tolerance but be sure you enjoy southwest flavor and a watery-vinegar based consistency.
Cholula Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: National grocery chains, authentic Mexican restaurants
Order: http://www.cholulastore.com/
Origin: Mexico
Scorch Level: 3
Flavor: 4
Linger: 4
Rating: 11
Cholula original hot sauce is a staple at many authentic Mexican restaurants thanks to its origin. There is an element to this sauce that just cannot be explained. Boarding on a buffalo style sauce with the right blend of peppers and zest Cholula scores high in flavor. That zest translated to a scorch level of 3 which really makes it the perfect condiment to dash onto anything from a burrito to macaroni and cheese (really- try it!). With the right amount of bite and phenomenally unique taste Cholula receives a linger rating of 4 that screams buy this sauce!
El Yucateco: Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: Specialty stores
Order: http://www.amazon.com/El-Yucateco-Chile-Habanero-Sauce/dp/B0000GHNT0
Origin: Texas
Scorch level: 4
Flavor: 2
Linger: 1
Rating: 7
Zap! Pow! Bam! Not a fight on the old school Batman show- but the noise your tongue makes within seconds of tasting this specialty brand sauce. The intense scorch radiates after just a few drops but that is where the enjoyment stops for those hot sauce lovers that can withstand the blaze. It takes several minutes for the heat to settle and after your mouth has cooled you have to ask, where’s the flavor? This sauce notes its use of real habanero peppers but forgets to combine them with much else. Linger score is 1 because El Yucateco will be out of your system before you know it. Warning: You’ll feel it on the way out too!
Ron’s Nuckin’ Futs Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: Specialty stores
Order: www.porkysgourmet.com
Origin: Tennessee
Scorch level: 5
Flavor: 1
Linger: 2
Rating: 8
Out of this World hot! The warning on every bottle of Ron’s states to use this suace one drop at a time and the request is not something to ignore. Sweat will run from your face, snot will drip from your nose, you’ll lose the feeling of your lips, and you will reach a state of euphoria after tasting this stuff. The hotness is so much that the bottle goes on to disclose health risks. In the end this sauce is just a novelty item for hot sauce enthusiasts. It reaches a claim to fame by combining some of the spiciest ingredients known and packaging it with a clever name. If you are a junky for hot and dare to meet your match then Just Add Hot Sauce suggests stirring 5 drops into your favorite barbeque sauce and basting a chicken breast or a few wings, but both this site and the bottle are warning you! Keep milk on hand to fight the flame.
Round One Final Scores:
Cholula: 11
Chipotle Tabasco: 9
Ron’s Nuckin’ Futs: 8
El Yucateco: 7
Cholula takes round one and advances.
Tabasco – Chipotle Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: National grocery chains, Chipotle Restaurants
Order: http://countrystore.tabasco.com/index_category.cfm?catid=0
Origin: Louisiana
Scorch Level: 2
Flavor: 4
Linger: 3
Rating: 9
Chipotle Tabasco brand hot sauce comes from a historic line of brothers and sisters with the original Tabasco still considered king of the royal family (based on history not necessarily quality). The flavor of chipotle hot sauce is distinctly smoky with a subtle spiciness which follows, much like chipotle peppers themselves of course. The taste is a step away from what you’re probably used to (although good) and the hotness is certainly there but does not last long. This sauce is great for someone with a medium level of tolerance but be sure you enjoy southwest flavor and a watery-vinegar based consistency.
Cholula Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: National grocery chains, authentic Mexican restaurants
Order: http://www.cholulastore.com/
Origin: Mexico
Scorch Level: 3
Flavor: 4
Linger: 4
Rating: 11
Cholula original hot sauce is a staple at many authentic Mexican restaurants thanks to its origin. There is an element to this sauce that just cannot be explained. Boarding on a buffalo style sauce with the right blend of peppers and zest Cholula scores high in flavor. That zest translated to a scorch level of 3 which really makes it the perfect condiment to dash onto anything from a burrito to macaroni and cheese (really- try it!). With the right amount of bite and phenomenally unique taste Cholula receives a linger rating of 4 that screams buy this sauce!
El Yucateco: Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: Specialty stores
Order: http://www.amazon.com/El-Yucateco-Chile-Habanero-Sauce/dp/B0000GHNT0
Origin: Texas
Scorch level: 4
Flavor: 2
Linger: 1
Rating: 7
Zap! Pow! Bam! Not a fight on the old school Batman show- but the noise your tongue makes within seconds of tasting this specialty brand sauce. The intense scorch radiates after just a few drops but that is where the enjoyment stops for those hot sauce lovers that can withstand the blaze. It takes several minutes for the heat to settle and after your mouth has cooled you have to ask, where’s the flavor? This sauce notes its use of real habanero peppers but forgets to combine them with much else. Linger score is 1 because El Yucateco will be out of your system before you know it. Warning: You’ll feel it on the way out too!
Ron’s Nuckin’ Futs Hot Sauce
Catch a taste: Specialty stores
Order: www.porkysgourmet.com
Origin: Tennessee
Scorch level: 5
Flavor: 1
Linger: 2
Rating: 8
Out of this World hot! The warning on every bottle of Ron’s states to use this suace one drop at a time and the request is not something to ignore. Sweat will run from your face, snot will drip from your nose, you’ll lose the feeling of your lips, and you will reach a state of euphoria after tasting this stuff. The hotness is so much that the bottle goes on to disclose health risks. In the end this sauce is just a novelty item for hot sauce enthusiasts. It reaches a claim to fame by combining some of the spiciest ingredients known and packaging it with a clever name. If you are a junky for hot and dare to meet your match then Just Add Hot Sauce suggests stirring 5 drops into your favorite barbeque sauce and basting a chicken breast or a few wings, but both this site and the bottle are warning you! Keep milk on hand to fight the flame.
Round One Final Scores:
Cholula: 11
Chipotle Tabasco: 9
Ron’s Nuckin’ Futs: 8
El Yucateco: 7
Cholula takes round one and advances.
Check back in March for ratings of four more sauces.
3 comments:
there are no Chipoltes near me and so i have to settle for Quedoba, one thing I do like is that they have Cholula hot sauce on hand
I very much love Cholula on many foods as well. One staple food that is greatly enhanced is pizza, cold or otherwise. I would brush my teeth with Cholula if possible! Nice analysis of the four hot sauces. I'm eagerly anticipating future rounds.
Thanks for reading- more hot sauce analysis to come soon!
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