Hot Sauce Finds: Blaze 619 Garlic Verde Hot Sauce

Bottom Line: The Garlic Verde Hot Sauce from Blaze 619 is strong on garlic and delivers a unique blend of flavors with a bit of a kick.

I have continued to get deliveries from the Heat Hot Sauce Shop Club (I get three bottles once per quarter, more on that here), and the Garlic Verde Hot Sauce from Blaze 619 is one of my latest arrivals. That company is a craft sauce maker from San Diego, and they have three varieties currently available: Mango Chili, Pineapple Habanero, and the Garlic Verde. Here is their official description of the latter, which they classify as Mild on the heat scale:

This sauce is bright and flavorful, jam-packed with tomatillo, fire-roasted chilis, garlic, and beautiful citrus notes. The heat level is mild and goes well on so many food items. This all-natural hot sauce will be an everyday staple in your household.

The sauce has an immediate pungent kick from the garlic, but the taste of that bulb does not overwhelm. It is followed by a nice richness and some sweetness that balance out the flavors. There is some tang from the tomatillos, but they do not deliver too much pucker. The combination of jalapeños, serranos, and poblanos works well, delivering a flavor similar to roasted chilis. Pinot Grigio is an interesting addition to the ingredients that does not really stand out, but it adds to the complex, full-bodied taste of the sauce. I am really rather enjoying this one so far, and I will order more from the company when the first bottle runs out.

There is very little heat from the sauce at first, but after a few tastes the sting comes through. I agree with the Mild designation that the bottle promises, as it comes out right about there on my scale, and it does a good job of blending garlic punch with a touch of heat. One warning: you do get some garlic aftertaste from this one, which is not necessarily bad, but I would not recommend it for date night!

This sauce could be used with any number of items, but I would go for a more careful pairing to take advantage of its garlic overtones and unique combination of flavors. It would work particularly well with grilled or sautéed fish or shrimp, and it would also pair well with a nicely seasoned chicken breast or pork chop. It might also be interesting to throw a few drops of this into a pesto to enhance the garlic and add a bit of tang.

On their website, a 5 oz. bottle sells for $9.95 (plus shipping), which is typical for a craft sauce like this. The better deal is the 8 oz. bottle for $11.95 or three 5 oz. bottles for $24.95. You can also find this on Amazon.com for a slightly higher price, but you will get free shipping if you have Prime or your order is large enough. Personally, I would rather give the money directly to the company, though, and I plan on ordering the 3 Amigos Box (which has an 8 oz. bottle of each of their sauces for $27.95) when I run out of the Garlic Verde. Stay tuned for a report on those.

Nutrition Info:

Ingredients: Tomatillo, White Wine Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Apple Juice, Pinot Grigio Wine, Purified water, Torched Jalapenos, Serrano, Poblano Peppers, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Onion, Sea Salt, Cilantro Leaves, Garlic, Black Garlic, Hatch Chili Flakes & Spices.

Serving Size: 1 tsp (4.5g)
Calories: 0
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 0g
Sodium: 40mg

You can see all the offerings from Blaze 619 at their website.

You can get more info on the Hot Sauce of the Month Club here.