In the United States it seems that the restaurant table top hot sauces are dominated by an oligopoly. Cholula, tabasco, and sriracha are ubiquitous. And there’s a reason for this: they are delicious. All of them have their own unique flavor profiles, as you no doubt know. But there is a whole world of hot sauce and spice beyond these three canonical flavorings.
Recently the Trinidad scorpion pepper Rapture was recommended to me by a friend, and I brought it in the office. Almost immediately it became “the” office hot sauce. It’s complex and delicious flavor, and the high spice content fueled by more than 15 peppers per bottle, have fueled an enthusiasm for hot sauces among my co-workers.
The moral of the story is that readers should explore the a bit more of the world of hot sauce taste than they do right now. Don’t limit yourself to the Pepsi, Coke, and Dr. Pepper of hot sauces.
Is it $20/bottle good? Hard to believe.
re: the price. apparently they use 16 peppers. the sauce is mostly pepper. also, very spicy expensive hot sauces last a long time because you don’t have to use much.
Tapatio > Cholula
I followed your Amazon link and that Rapture spice is $20. Looks good, but window shopping food is no fun.
Beware the hot one…
http://formalsweatpants.com/comic/the-hot-one/
What do you think of spicy dust? I’ve recently discovered mitmita and I’ve been using it as a dry rub or sprinkling it on riced cauliflower.
I’m a permanent Marie Sharps fanboy, but I always sample whatever hot sauce recommendation you make and have yet to be disappointed.
Hot sauces ramp up. Tolerance builds. I have deliberately not pursued hot sauces beyond the big three for that very reason, I want to continue their efficacy. At thirty I could barely tolerate choula. Now I use it to treat eye irritation. Ok, that is a lie. I am fifty and I want to keep enjoying hot sauce into my dotage.