Bottom Line: The Tabanero Hot Sauce Challenge makes for a good gift with quality sauces that range from Medium to Insane levels on the heat scale.
As Christmas Day approaches and you find yourself doing some last-minute shopping, you might be tempted to grab one of those generic hot sauce gift sets for someone who enjoys spicy foods. But don’t do it! (More on that here.) Instead, seek out hot sauces that are not cheaply made in China or elsewhere, and Amazon actually has a perfect option that can be shipped within a few days.
While browsing through the site, I came across the Tabanero Hot Sauce Challenge Set and decided to try it out since it’s only ten bucks. The set includes four 1.75 oz bottles of sauces from the company, ranging from medium heat to extremely hot, and the challenge is to try each of them in order. Tabanero is based in Florida and sources its habanero chilis from Tabasco, Mexico, to create its first-rate sauces. After sampling each of the four in this set, here are my comments:
Original: This has the tang you’d expect from a hot sauce, along with a notable sweetness, and I’d say it strikes a nice balance between both. It isn’t too vinegary, as the company’s owner, Carl De Santis, aimed to de-emphasize that in his sauces (more on that at their website). This one also features the habanero flavor from the main chili used, although it’s in the background and not too distinct. I would have preferred more of the chili pepper flavor in the mix, but this is still quite a tasty sauce. The heat level approaches Medium on my scale, and most people will find this one not too challenging.
Extra Hot: Taste-wise, this is similar to the Original sauce, but with much more of the habanero flavor. That happens to be my favorite chili (What? You don’t have a favorite chili pepper?), so I really like this sauce, and it will become a regular in my pantry. It is similar in taste to Melinda’s Xxxtra Hot and Marie Sharp’s Habanero Sauce (two of my regular lineup), although it’s definitely not a direct copy of either. Heat-wise, it goes past Medium and reaches the Hot level. The average person might struggle with this one, but chiliheads should love it.
XXX: This one adds Ghost and Scorpion chilis to the mix, and that’s apparent right away. It has that rich, peppery taste often found in hotter sauces, and the heat is immediately noticeable. The flavor is good, but you won’t get to enjoy it too much as the sauce quickly surpasses the Fiery level, and the heat takes over. The average person should probably pass this one by, and even lovers of spicy food will use it in small quantities.
Dragon’s Breath: This one seems to be basically the same as the Extra Hot sauce in terms of ingredients, except it includes some Dragon’s Breath chili (which, honestly, I hadn’t even heard of before). That takes it into the realm of pure pain, tasting somewhat like Dave’s Insanity Sauce with added habaneros. You’ll only get a fleeting hint of the flavor, though, as your mouth quickly goes numb from the heat. I firmly place this one at the Insane level, if not higher, and you’ll only use it one drop at a time. This one presents a challenge even to chiliheads, but I can report that I survived.
Amazon offers two other Tabanero sets as well, delivering more moderate heat levels. They have the Variety Sampler, which includes their Original, Extra Hot, Spicy Agave, and Curry Habanero Sauces. Then there is a Mini Hot Sauce Gift Set that offers a different variety, including Peach Bourbon, Sweet & Spicy, Key Lime Habanero, and Sriracha Honey. So, you have several options with varying heat levels and flavors. Regardless, you know you’re giving a gift of quality sauces, and all three of these sets make for good stocking stuffers. I should also note that Walmart currently has a hot sauce sampler rack in their stores (more on that here), and they offer the Original and Extra Hot Sauce for only a buck each.