Top 10 Hottest Chillis in the World
In this post, we'll rank some of the the hottest chilli peppers from around the world based on their flavour and heat. Chilli peppers are a staple ingredient in many cuisines around the world, prized for their unique flavour and heat. But with the many different varieties of chillis available, it can be hard to know where to start.
Your Ultimate Guide to eating chillis!
From mild to extra spicy here is a run down of the top 10 hottest chillis in the world:
1. Poblano Chilli (1,000 - 1,500 Scoville Units)
Poblano peppers are mild chilli pepper with a rich, earthy flavour. They are often used in Mexican cuisine to make dishes like chiles rellenos and are great for roasting or stuffing.
2. Anaheim / Anaheim Verde Chilli (500 to 2,500 Scoville)
Anaheim chilli peppers are mild, versatile pepper that is commonly used in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. They have a slightly sweet and earthy flavour and are great for stuffing or roasting. The Anaheim Verde is a mild pepper with a slightly tangy, citrusy flavour. They are often used in Mexican cuisine to make sauces and salsas.
3. Jalapeño Chilli (2,500 - 8,000 Scoville Units)
A staple in Mexican cuisine, jalapeños are moderately hot with a slightly sweet and grassy flavour. They are versatile chilli pepper that can be used fresh, pickled, or smoked.
4. Serrano Chilli (10,000 to 23,000 Scoville Units)
Serrano peppers are similar to jalapeños in flavour but are hotter and slightly more complex. They are commonly used in Mexican cuisine to add heat to salsas and sauces.
5. Cayenne Chilli (30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units)
Cayenne pepper is a popular ingredient in Cajun and Creole cuisine with a bright, slightly sweet flavour. They are often used in spice blends or sprinkled on top of dishes for extra heat.
6. Thai Bird's Eye Chilli - (50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Units)
Used in our Super Hot Sriracha hot sauce, this is a mainstay in Thai cuisine, Thai bird's eye chilli peppers are small but pack a lot of heat. They have a slightly fruity flavour and are often used in curries and stir-fries.
7. Habanero Chilli (100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Units)
This chilli is used quite often throughout our sauces. It is used in the Yellow Habanero Sweet Chilli hot sauce and the King Alphonso Mango and Orange Habanero hot sauce.
The habanero is one of the hottest chilli peppers in the world and has a fruity, tropical flavour. They are often used in Caribbean and Mexican cuisine but use caution when handling and eating them as they can be extremely spicy.
8. Scotch Bonnet Chilli (100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Units)
Used in our Charred Peach, Scotch Bonnet and Spiced Rum Hot Sauce, this one has quite a kick!
Another extremely hot chilli pepper, the Scotch bonnet has a fruity and slightly smoky flavour. They are commonly used in Caribbean cuisine to add heat to dishes like jerk chicken and seafood.
Another extremely hot chilli pepper, the Scotch bonnet has a fruity and slightly smoky flavour. They are commonly used in Caribbean cuisine to add heat to dishes like jerk chicken and seafood.
9. Ghost Pepper Chilli (Over 1,000,000 Scoville Units)
The ghost pepper is one of the hottest chilli peppers in the world and has a smoky, fruity flavour. They are often used in Indian cuisine to add heat to curries and chutneys.
10. The Carolina Reaper Chilli (1,400,000 to 2,200,000 Scoville Units)
This sauce is featured in our Super Hot Sriracha and our Sriracha X hot sauce. We created our Super Hot Sriracha with the intent to create a really spicy hot sauce, however fans wanted more of a higher content of chillies in this sauce, hence we produced the Sriracha X, packed full of Carolina Reaper chilli peppers.
The Hottest of em’ all! The current record holder for the hottest chilli pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper. It was developed by Ed Currie of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina and has an average Scoville rating (a measure of spiciness) of over 1.5 million units, with some individual peppers registering over 2.2 million units.
The Carolina Reaper has a fruity and slightly sweet flavour, but its extreme heat means it should be used cautiously and in very small quantities.
Yes, the Carolina Reaper has gained a lot of attention and notoriety for being the hottest chilli pepper in the world, and many people have attempted to eat it and shared their reactions on social media. There are numerous videos on YouTube and other platforms of people attempting the Carolina Reaper Challenge, which involves eating a whole pepper or a spicy food made with Carolina Reaper peppers.
The reactions to eating the Carolina Reaper can vary from person to person, but most people describe an intense burning sensation in their mouth and throat, as well as other symptoms like sweating, tearing, and even vomiting. Some people have even reported experiencing hallucinations or other strange sensations after eating a Carolina Reaper pepper.
Below: video taken from the Hot Ones series on Youtube and also featuring Ed Currie. The people featured on this episode try the 'Pepper X', the hottest Carolina Reaper Pepper. Do not try this at home.
When it comes to choosing the right chilli pepper for your dish, consider both the heat level and the flavour profile. Whether you prefer mild and earthy or hot and fruity, there's a chilli pepper out there for everyone. So, experiment with different varieties and discover the unique flavours of chilli peppers from around the world.
