Bootlikker Jack Hot Sauce Review

Bootlikker Jack Hot Sauce Review

Note: Support video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQoS19Vor58

Ok, so to start, I guess we should probably address the name. Despite its spelling, I presume the "bootlikker" part of this sauce to refer to the colloquialism that was an old cowboy term (boot liquor) for the liquor you would put in a flask before putting the flask in your boot, to carry with you wherever. Boot liquor itself also became, post cowboy times, a shortening of "bootleg" liquor, which was unlicensed liquor, moonshine,etc. I say despite the spelling, as it is far closer to "boot licker," which in common parlance would be a lapdog, ass-kisser, sycophant. Naming a hot sauce after that would be rather nonsensical...(also, if you're noticing the label is on the pictured bottle crookedly, that is true and not your eyes deceiving you).

As one might expect, this also has hard liquor in it, namely Jack Daniels whiskey. Now, as any good metalhead in the 80s would be, I am certainly no stranger to Jack Daniels. Being the flavor aficionado (and taste explorer in the years since) I am now, however, I will also say that no one was drinking Jack Daniels back then because they especially liked the taste. In fact, if anything, it was in spite of it. This was far more a trendy, cool thing, and the 80s metal bands did much to popularize not only the beverage, but the logo as well. 

That aside, I'm also no stranger to booze in hot sauces, though I also think they need to be handled delicately. If not, you will get a booze hit. I drink my hard liquor, when I drink it, neat, so no stranger to booze hits either, but, when indulging then, I'm expecting it. I am not really expecting it when using a food condiment and I always find it jarring. This one does a better job than the Swampdragon dreck I reviewed in January of this year, but it still finds its way to my palate here and there. 

The curious thing to me is that I keep finding a sort of cloying sweetness to this sauce, which is distracting at best. I don't see a sugar listed, so I find this somewhat confusing. The regular (not to be confused with the Original Bootlikker) hot sauce, listed here as the first ingredient. (which seems to be a fairly basic straightforward Cayenne-based Louisiana-style) seems pretty solid, but the addition of the Jack Daniels...suffice it to say that there's a reason why cooks tend to burn off the raw alcohol portion prior to serving, when they use it as an ingredient. Here, it is bottled. 

Given the Louisiana-style nature of this, you could reasonably use it wherever you would use that, but just more sparingly. Oversaucing with this will tend to wreck the food. There is precious little heat, given the two peppers are Cayenne and Jalapeno.Admittedly, I picked this up on a whim from the clearance bin, but even at that, I still am not finding much of value here.

Bottom line: If you're interested in the idea of hard liquor and hot sauce (and don't want to just mix at home), this one does handle it somewhat better than the Swampdragon, but there is little else to speak for it.

Breakdown:

            Heat level: 0
            Flavor: 2
            Flexibility: 2
            Enjoyment to dollar factor: 0

Overall: 1