20 Sauce Reviews

Over the last two weeks I have been working on reviews, to use the word loosely, of 20 different sauces I have about. While I do mention some ingredients, I have not typed up everything, just what I felt was present in the flavor.

Black Scorpion Hot Drops is my favorite hot sauce. It is the right heat with the right flavor, the right consistency, everything about it, I just love this sauce. Available for order from Arizona Salsa and Spice Company. It has Ghost pepper, Garlic, N.M. Green Chili, Jalapeno, Trinidad Scorpion and Salt making it an absolute banger of a sauce. 10/10

Endorphin Rush I have had many times over 30 years. This particular bottle must have been on a shelf for quite a while as it was extremely thick. Only took a few drops to burn the living hell out of my lips. I am really surprised with how great it taste and how spicy it is. It is very very very spicy, also it is an extract sauce and I know some of you hate that. I feel the sugar, molasses, and soy sauce added to it really is what gives it such a unique flavor. 9.5/10

Foo Foo Mama Chu has a terrific all around flavor, really just quite exceptional. It is a bit more runny than the previous two entries. Delivers a bang for the buck on heat, and also obviously has a delicious flavor. Tomatoes, Salt, Reaper, onion, brown sugar, garlic, it is delicious. 9/10

Torchbearer doesn't fail to deliver. This is a spicy one, not as runny as the Foo Foo, and not as thick as the Endorphin Rush, right about the same consistency as the Black Scorpion Hot Drops. Reaper and Habanero, garlic, salt, onion, all the ingredients for a fantastic sauce. 9.5/10

Blairs Original Death is pretty hot, not going to kill you hot, but there is no mistaking that you are stepping into a different level from those you would find at the grocery store. Terrific flavor profile too, adds to just about any dish I can imagine without it being a distraction from the dish itself. What was really surprising to me is that this sauce has both lime and cilantro, and I didn't mind that. Usually cilantro ruins a meal for me, and I do not really like fruit in my hot sauce, I am not knocking that, it just isn't my preference. 8.5/10

Elijah's Extreme is another one that is pretty darn hot, being a Ghost Pepper sauce I would hope so. The heat was there but the flavor was kind of bland in comparison to the rest of them so far. It was still quite tasty hence making it into the second group. Also a surprise here was the inclusion of Passion Fruit, Lime, Carrot, and Apple Cider Vinegar. 8/10

El Yucateco is one you can find at the store, no need for mail order or specialty shops, and this specific blend, Habanero and Ghost is likely what I consider their best hot sauce over all. It has wonderful and complimentary flavor and delivers on the heat. It is best to not look at the ingredients. 8.5/10

Arizona Gunslinger I have always thought was a gimmick and I slept on it for over 40 years. I finally gave it a try a few months ago, and wow was I surprised. This is a spicy sauce, great consistency, versatile for many dishes, and packing the heat level. I was really torn about putting it into my first group, especially with the score that I give it, and it boiled down to if it had enough flavor to carry the heat. The flavor could be a bit stronger, maybe simply adding salt or garlic power to it would make it a stronger contender, but being that it is also available at the grocery store, I suggest picking it up. Actual ingredients: Habanero, Jalapeno, Vinegar and Salt, that is it. 8.5/10

Marie Sharp's was tasty, has a fantastic flavor that went really with with Tamales and Beans. Subtle heat but the flavor makes up for that, nice flow out of the bottle, it was over all just a good experience. It really does taste like smoked habanero, the aftertaste is what you smell when you are burning wood while camping. It is very pleasant. 7.5/10

Dave's is an extract sauce for sure. It is hot, but it is rather flavorless. When trying it directly by itself, it tastes like spicy, very spicy, garlic salt. I don't have too much else to say about it. 7/10

Cajohns Black Garlic Ghost is super tasty, but it is not hot at all. It is like A1 steak sauce, soy sauce, molasses, and a hot sauce all put together. I really enjoyed its flavor, but it was a bit sweeter than I was expecting, and left some demand in the heat department. 7.5/10

El Yucateco again, XXXtra hot, it isn't really extra hot. The Habanero and Ghost is a hotter entry, however this has a slight bit more flavor to it one could argue. I went back and forth between the two and as mentioned the Habanero Ghost was just better to me. Either way this waws also a good sauce. 7/10

Ok so here is where people will probably begin to get mad with my views.

Marie Sharp's was good, over all it was good. The flavor is more or less a beefed up well versed buffalo sauce. It has some heat to it, it has some flavor to it, neither of which are worth writing home about. It can be found at the grocery store and it is not terribly expensive, but it could certainly use more flavor, and more heat. It was also rather runny. 6.5/10

Melinda's is also available at the grocery store, and is also inexpensive, but it is the same story as the Marie Sharp's. I just wasn't wowed by the flavor or the heat level. 6.5/10

Cajohns Reaper Sling Blade was hot for the sake of hot, but only an initial hot. Each subsequent bite will no longer be hotter than the first. It was runny as well, and wasn't very fantastic on the flavor department. The inclusion of the lime and apple cider vinegar in this particular sauce is what I feel ruins it, because everything else that is in it would make for a great sauce. It is not bad, it just isn't special. 6.5/10

Melinda's is just ok. I really wanted this to be more than just ok, especially being the Habanero blend, and I was really excited for the garlic, but it just isn't there, flavor or heat. 6/10

Arizona 18 is another entry from my Arizona Salsa and Spice Company. This isn't really a hot sauce, at least not what it is intended for, but it can't be argued that it is in fact hot. Originally this was supposed to be a steak sauce, but it is packing more heat than I think they intended, and they just kept it anyway. Sweet, but also spicy. No score as this is not really a "hot sauce" but more of a honorable mention.

Mexico Lindo you can find at the store, Habanero Rojo is all right. IT has more flavor than the other Habanero from their line. It is not however spicy. Not a sauce that wows you, but it would certainly not ruin a dish if you used it. 5/10

Mexico Lindo Habanero Tatemado isn't hotter than the prior entry. It was also rather lacking in flavor in comparison to the prior entry. 4/10

Dirty Dick's – I was a little pissed off when I tried this. I was hoping it would be a hot sauce, but this is just a tiny bit of spicy version of BBQ sauce. I wouldn't be surprised if there were in fact spicier BBQ sauces, matter of fact Arizona 18 above is spicier. No score as it is not really a a hot sauce, and since it disappointed me, no honorable mention. Shame on you Dirty Dick's!