HAB Murder Mango
Note: This sauce was provided for purposes of review by Roger Damptz of Burn Your Tongue, legendary hot sauce emporium. Check him out on Facebook.
Note: Support video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m21GafIYlvA
There is quite a bit to unpack with this, the second entry from HAB sauces I've had, and I'm not sure I'm up to the task. This is, I will note, a distinct positive. Let's start with the name, which is a reference to this sauce in relation to other Habanero-Mango sauces, and I will dissent on this a best, for reasons we'll get into a bit later. The label features this amazing anime-styled art with a couple of females, one is what looks like an angel on one side and the other side with half of the top of her head missing, like someone took a melon baller to it or something. I don't know what to make of this, exactly, or what relation it has to the sauce, but the artist is incredibly talented.
As for the rest, let's get into that. Again, all the fanciness on the outside of the bottle doesn't matter if the inside isn't any good and this one definitely is not only good, but, dare I say, inspired. Here's the thing: when you're deciding to make a very established sauce type, you can go either one of two ways. You can either do what everyone else has already done and try to make it either better, or close to, what others on that path have done or you can throw it all out and go for something entirely unique. They here have chosen the latter.
We have Bulgarian Carrot Peppers, which I have not ever come across before, along with Habaneros, the mangos, some citrus notes, a healthy amount of apple, and one of the better uses of banana I've had in a hot sauce. This results in one of the most fantastic taste experiences, albeit on the sour side, of a sauce I think I've yet had, which strikes me as remarkable, considering the increasingly hefty list just on this blog (I had quite a few before starting this, of course). The balance of flavors, while also allowing the main ones to get in with their own flavor notes, borders on magical and despite this being a sour sauce, I like it quite a lot.
Given that it is sour, however, that does dial down the flexibility for me, as well as taking this right out of the running, in terms of "murderizing" the competition of the upper echelon of this type of sauce (which I've discussed somewhat in the Gindo's Mango Habanero, my pick for the best of the lot, review, which is elsewhere here). Heat is also decidedly minimum. It is a strong 1 for sure, but never really builds much beyond that. I find this approach an absolute marvel and if you're a fan of sour sauces or of tropical fruit-based sweet hots, this one should be a must on your list.
Bottom line: An experiment that almost shouldn't work with me, given both the sour direction, and the inclusion of bananas, but yet not only does it, it is a near-breathtaking experience. Very impressive showing.
Breakdown:
Heat level: 1
Flavor: 8
Flexibility: 4
Enjoyment to dollar factor: 10
Overall: 6
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