Gindo's Smoked Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

Gindo's Smoked Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

Note: This sauce was provided for purposes of review by Roger Damptz of Burn Your Tongue. Check him out on Facebook or, better yet, head on over to his new online outlet where you can shop the widest selection available anywhere, www.burnyourtongueonline.com.

Note: Support video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JrwguepiDE

The thought, when I first got this, was that it would be simply a hotter version of the Original (red), which is my current leader for SOTY 2021 (and, of course, reviewed elsewhere here), and in a way, that is not far off the mark, but the trade here is definitely one of flavor in favor of heat. There is a much heavier garlic influence here, particularly on the back end, and a very delicate touch of smoke notes. Here, we have both two different types of Ghost and Habanero and even some Carolina Reapers thrown in for good measure. It does definitely lend a distinct touch of bitterness to proceedings, but I could see where one might have the Original and feel like it could do with a bit more heat. Overall, this is an exceedingly well-done sauce and the balance between ingredients is quite good, if, as noted, a touch on the bitter side, which one would sort of expect, given that many superhots.

As to that heat, there is not really a great deal of it here, either, despite those noted peppers. This is still very much a flavor-forward blend, which appears to be the hallmark of this sauce company, itself fast becoming one of my favorites. Much like that Original, which seems to be the best comparison to me, this one will work on nearly anything. While not as flavorful as that other sauce, it does have some interesting flavor notes that end some intriguing touches to a number of foods. However, on strongly flavored foods, it does have a propensity to lose a lot of those more subtle nuances, being not as strongly flavored, overall, as the Original. 

Bottom line: Another absolute stunner of a sauce, though trading flavor for heat reduces things overall a bit.

Breakdown:

            Heat level: 2
            Flavor: 7
            Flexibility: 9
            Enjoyment to dollar factor: 9

Overall: 7