The hottest pepper in the world. The hottest pepper: rating of fiery varieties on the Scoville scale

Mexico is home to a truly extraordinary culture and unique dishes. Once in this state, the first thing you need to pay attention to is cooking! If you love playing with fire, all kinds of manipulations with spices and spicy experiences in Mexico will not seem boring, and this article confirms this. We will look at the hottest peppers in the world, most of which grow in the specified country. In addition, let's talk about how the best chefs in Canada, Mexico, the USA and other countries use these products, what properties pepper has and how they created unique spices.

The hotness of pepper was represented by the Scoville scale and it is measured in units, the more of them, the hotter the pepper!

Top 10 most hot and hot peppers

10

125,000 - 325,000 units

Opens the rating of the hottest peppers in the world according to the Scoville scale, the Devil's Tongue variety. It is believed that the variety was first discovered in Pennsylvania. In fact, its history is shrouded in darkness, but today pepper is effectively grown in Mexico. There are several varieties of varieties of early and medium ripening. At the same time, Maxima is considered the best exporter of the Devil's Tongue, because only in this country the variety has a unique nutty-fruity flavor.

A unique variety of pepper grown in Trinidad, the exclusivity of which, in the first place, is due to the unusual shape of the fruit. It resembles the tail of a scorpion, however, and not only in shape, but also in danger. Improper use of spices is fraught with serious consequences. On the Scoville scale, its sharpness is 980,304 units. Not many people know that the military of several Mexican states use this pepper to create gas cartridges and bombs.

Bhut Jolokia is a Mexican variety of pepper that for several years was presented in the Guinness Book of Records as the hottest. The indicator is 1,001,304 Scoville units. It is worth adding that not many spices grow in their natural environment. This unique product is an exception. However, it is almost impossible to grow it in an artificial abode so that it has the same spices as the typical Mexican Bhut Jolokia. It is also currently grown in India. However, the taste is significantly inferior, however, as is the sharpness.

Late-ripening Gibralta is one of the hottest peppers on the planet. The variety was bred by specialists in the UK. Today he is interested in many connoisseurs of Austin from different parts of the world. Even in Mexico, cooks use this pepper, although there are much more interesting ones. As for the British, they use spices to make many national dishes. At the same time, not many tourists know exactly what the secret is, or rather they didn’t know - now you know the name of the unique ingredient - Gibralta. The hotness of this pepper is 1,086,844 units.

Another unique pepper created by a breeder from England, namely Gerald Fowler. The Naga Viper variety is made from three blends: American, Mexican and Gibralta pepper. It turned out to be a rather interesting product that is not worth tasting. Just a fraction of pepper is enough to permanently lose your taste buds. There are currently many enthusiasts around the world who want to get their hands on pepper seeds for growing at home. But for this you need to work hard. Gerald's product proved to be too stubborn and environmentally influenced.

Another hot pepper that once completed the Guinness Book of Records with an indicator of 1,463,700 units. The creator of this product is Butch Taylor, who bred a variety from Mexico and Trinidad peppers. The tip of red pepper is similar to the sting of a scorpion, which, in fact, is the reason for the name of this plant. It is worth adding that the product quickly gained popularity, due to the specific taste and fruity aroma of the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T variety. All dishes prepared with this spice are left to infuse for two days. These include several unique types of meat and fish marinades.

We are talking about a rather finicky spice that grows in India. It is worth adding that this is a natural product that cannot be grown in greenhouses. For centuries, the creation has been used in the north-east of India to protect against elephants. It turns out that dwellings anointed with this pepper are able to scare away animals. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, with the help of Naga Jolokia, pepper spray is generally made to protect local residents from hooligans. Currently, the country's armed forces use the variety to create perk grenades.

It's hard to believe, but all over the world, Naga Morich Aka Dorset Naga pepper is used as a favorite spice by representatives of different cultures. This is despite the fact that a unique spice is additionally used to create high-speed weapons (pepper spray and bombs). In Mexico, even traditional national dishes are prepared with the help of Aka Dorset Naga. Although Bangladesh is considered the birthplace, Mexican thrill-seekers manage to grow the best varieties artificially today. In India, pepper is not eaten in a mature form, which is quite adequate, because ready-made, red Naga is able to destroy taste buds.

Next in the ranking is the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion variety, the hotness of which is 2,009,231 units. Native to the wild, native to Trinidad and southern Mexico. It is worth noting that the sharpness of this pepper is equated with spray cans for self-defense, which are used by police in many countries. If you do not use safety measures when cooking dishes with this pepper, you can easily get poisoned. The correct use of pepper involves the creation of savory, unusual dishes. It has a fruity aroma and a slight bitterness. In some countries, I even use it to create flour products, in particular bread.

We will tell you how the ratings of the hottest peppers in the world are formed, who took pride of place and what variety is now at the top of the rating, what is cooked from the hottest peppers and talk about spicy eating competitions and pepper festivals.

World rankings, how to choose the hottest peppers in the world

The first ratings of peppers of the genus Capsicum were compiled in ancient times in their homeland - in Latin America. The indigenous people cultivated dozens of species, and the peppers had their own "table of ranks". Its existence was reported to the Royal Court by a Spanish conquistador. The Indians distinguished 6 degrees of hotness, divided the hotness into volumetric, covering the entire body, and point hotness.

From a scientific point of view, the first rating was compiled by the American chemist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. The units of its hotness scale indicate how many parts of sweet water should be added to 1 part of an alcohol solution of pepper (the same concentration for all types). For example, far from the hottest habanero pepper in the world (Habanero), has 300,000 units. This means that 1 milliliter of pepper tincture must be dissolved in 30 buckets (!) of sweet water in order for the burning effect to disappear.

Mr. Wilbur Scoville

A major role in conducting objective assessments and tests to identify the hottest peppers in the world belongs to the Guinness Book of Records. Inspectors from Guinness are present during the tests and award places for hotness to various peppers.

Hot pepper breeders almost every year bring out new varieties that claim to be the hottest pepper. The world ranking of the hottest peppers is constantly changing. The entry of a new variety even into the top 10 hottest peppers in the world is a great success. The variety will be in demand by producers of the most spicy food and sauces.

Forerunners of the fiery front, what is it - the hottest pepper in the world

For a long time, the classic Habanero pepper was considered the hottest pepper in the world. In different variations of the variety, it has up to 350,000 units of hotness. It is Habanero that is part of the most common Tabasco hot sauce.

The huge interest in Chinese and Mexican cuisine, primarily in the United States, caused a sharp struggle among pepper farmers for the world's hotness throne.

Until 2006, the hottest pepper, over the previous 12 years, would be Red Savina pepper from the Habanero clan, which produces 450,000–580,000 units.

Red Savina (Red Savina pepper)

The first millionaire was the Trinidad Scorpion (Trinidad Scorpion), 800,000–1,000,000 units of heat.

Trinidad Scorpion (Trinidad Scorpion)

In 2011, he was defeated by the Indian Bhut Jolokia (Bhut jolokia or Ghost Chili), 800,000 - 1,001,304 units. Recall that in order to stop burning this pepper in the form of 1 cube (1 ml) of tincture, a cubic meter kvass barrel of sweet water is needed for dilution!

Bhut jolokia or Ghost Chili

Several varieties were slightly short of 1,500,000 units: Gibralta, Infinity chili and Naga Viper. These peppers can hardly be called seasoning, and even more so food.

The race continues. The 1,500,000 club includes several strains, including Trinidad Scorpion Butch T and 7 Pot Douglah, which produces 1,800,000 units.

Trinidad Scorpion Butch T

At the top of this stinging pyramid is the natural variety Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, yielding over 2,000,000 units.

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion

And here it is, the winner! Carolina Reaper, 2,200,000 units of heat is hottest pepper in the world!

Ratings of spicy dishes and sauces

Any dishes and sauces become spicy from the presence of hot peppers in them. The hotter the pepper on the scale of hotness and the more it is in the dish, the hotter the food will be.

It follows that the ratings for the hotness of spicy dishes and sauces are conditional. You can take a couple of Trinidad scorpions, grind them, add salt and a drop of tomato and mayonnaise on top. Let's call the salad "Tenderness". When tasting for hotness, this salad will take first place. And the tasters will be taken to the hospital. By the way, check out our selection.

There is traditional spicy food, but it can be eaten. This, Indian paal, Arabic couscous and many other dishes.

Much is being done to attract customers. Famous restaurateurs declare their dishes with a lot of hot peppers as the hottest dishes in the world. An example is the sharpest wings from Robin Rosenberg. Remove the wings and leave one pepper - this will be a salad from Petya Ivanov, which is objectively 50 times spicier than the wings ...

Normal spicy food has 2-3 thousand units of hotness and this is quite enough. For the most spicy sauces, 10,000 is enough, although there are samples of African sauces that have up to 22,000 Scovilles of heat.

Competitions in speed and volume of eating spicy dishes, festivals of peppers

This type of entertainment is directly dangerous to health. Any eating or drinking of anything at speed is, by definition, a strange activity. You can drink a bucket of milk in a short time and the body itself will reject this violence against it. With hot peppers, the picture will be slightly different. Most of the participants in these "competitions" end their performances in a hospital bed.

Gladiator fights and dog fights were rejected by mankind and banned almost everywhere. Manufacturers of hot sauces and snacks often become shadow sponsors of pepper-eating competitions. Often without realizing that a short-term attraction of the attention of the townsfolk and some short-term profit does not compensate for the aversion to a wonderful product that arises in normal people.

Hot pepper, sauces and dishes based on it are a solid and unfussy thing. It requires a thoughtful approach and a leisurely getting used to the sharpness.

Another thing is the numerous and colorful pepper festivals that take place around the world. They do not discredit the wonderful plant and its fruits, but on the contrary, they popularize pepper and products from it in every possible way.

pepper festival

Ratings of peppers for spiciness, ratings of sauces and dishes with pepper have firmly entered our lives. Pepper continues to influence the development of human civilization and food culture in all countries without exception. Various ratings, folk festivals of pepper, official and other events are aimed at popularizing this useful vegetable crop, they contribute to the active work of scientists and breeders in breeding new varieties of peppers.

All articles in the "Theory" section

Trinidad Scorpion Red (capsicum chinense) is a hot chili native to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Small, tennis-ball-sized fruits are covered with small scallops and have a distinct texture. The tip of the pepper ends in a tail so similar to a scorpion that it is this feature that gave it its name. Paul Bosland, pepper expert and director of the Chili Institute, described Trinidad Scorpion Red as "You take a bite and you think you can handle it. The heat in your mouth builds and builds and builds. Within seconds you're crying." In 2012, Trinidad Scorpion Red was named the hottest pepper on planet Earth. In addition to its extreme spiciness, it boasts a sweet, fruity flavor that will perfectly complement most dishes. It can be grown anywhere in the world, for maximum heat it is desirable to create extreme heat or drought conditions during the ripening period.

Trinidad Scorpion Red Pepper

Sow Trinidad Scorpion Red seeds 8-10 weeks before transferring them to the greenhouse or garden. use containers or seedling trays filled with commercially available soil or sterilized potting mix mixed with 25% (by volume) perlite and vermiculite. The optimum soil temperature for chili growth is 26-29°C. Bury the chili seeds to a depth of 0.6-0.7 cm into the soil. Germination will take 2-5 weeks depending on soil and ambient temperature. Seeds themselves do not require light to grow, but as soon as the first shoots of seedlings appear, adequate lighting is required. You can put the seedlings on the windowsill if the window faces south - there will be enough light, in other cases we recommend using additional lighting with fluorescent lamps, this will give you compact and healthier seedlings. A fluorescent lamp is suspended at a distance of 7.5 cm from the tops of the plant. It is very convenient to use the lamp together with the timer according to the program 16 hours of light, 8 hours of the night. The soil should be moist at the time of sowing, but dry out somewhat before re-watering. Soil pH should be 6.5 (slightly acidic) and fertilize every three weeks with a balanced fertilizer (5-10-5 or 10-10-10). Transplant the seedlings to the garden or greenhouse when the average daytime temperature is 21°C and the nighttime temperature is above 12°C. Before transplanting, harden the seedlings, for this, take them out into the open air (greenhouse), start with an hour or two and gradually increase this time. Gardeners unable to grow Trinidad Scorpion Red in the garden can grow them at home. Chili indoors will not grow to the same size as outdoors and will typically be 15-30 cm tall. When flowers appear on the bush, carry out pollination of pepper for this, spend several times on the flower, then on the next one and so on for everyone. Repeat artificial pollination after a few days.

Food with peppercorns attracts gourmets because the dish, to which hot peppers have been added, has a brighter taste and aroma. In an ordinary kitchen, the hostess most often encounters black sweet peas, but there are a lot of truly bitter varieties.

The Guinness Book contains the most in the world, some of them are used in cooking in restaurants, others - for sauces, and still others - as components of military and protective weapons.

"Pepper" story

Thanks for the appearance of a burning culture in Europe, Columbus should be, who first brought this plant from one of his travels. India is considered the birthplace of fragrant, while the real sharp varieties of this plant grew in South America, and by the time the great navigator discovered the New World, its indigenous population had already “domesticated” several of them.

Soon the triumphal procession of burning fruits began all over the world. Doctors who made pepper tinctures and plasters wrote about their benefits. Cooks with the help of hot additives changed the taste of long-familiar dishes and created new recipes.

A century after Columbus' journey, domesticated species of chili grew in gardens and greenhouses in different countries. The species of chili was brought to Russia in the 18th century, but by that time it was already well known not only in Europe, but also in the countries of the East.

Varieties - "millionaires"

Once upon a time, a scientist from America, Wilbur Scoville, decided to establish the sharpness of various tasters, for which they were invited. Their job was to taste the pods after a sip of sugar water. The intensity of sensations tasters and formed the basis of his first scale.

With the progress and development of the chemical industry, it became possible to determine the hottest peppers in the world in the laboratory. The new scale was named after Scoville, thus perpetuating his name. There are varieties that are slightly bitter, but there are also those that will make a person feel very uncomfortable, or they can even get burned.

Truly “vigorous” fruits are considered to be fruits whose sharpness exceeds the Scoville scale mark by 1 million. These include:

• Trinidad Scorpion CARDI is a variety bred by breeders from the Caribbean Agricultural Institute of Trinidad. The name "scorpion" given to a series of these plants suits it very well, since the shape of its tip resembles a sting, and the sharpness is simply incredible. The fruits of this pepper are not used for food, since it should be collected and processed in protective clothing and gloves. From it in Trinidad make a chemical weapon - tear gas. Today it is considered one of the most dangerous among peppers, having an indicator of 1 million Scoville.

• Naga Morich - leads its "pedigree" from the northern part of India and Bangladesh. The indigenous population of these countries, knowing about the insidious burning properties of the fruits of this plant, eat it in unripe form. Gourmets, who know how to feel not only the spiciness, but also the taste of pepper, claim that it is fruity, close to orange and pineapple.
• "Bhut jolokia" is a millionaire who got into the Guinness Book of Records in 2011, in the category "the hottest peppers in the world." This variety appeared naturally, and its pungency is directly related to where exactly it grows. The homeland of the most "lethal" is the northeast of India, while in the central part of the country it is completely harmless. The government of the state allowed the use of "bhut jolokiya" in tear grenades to disperse hooligans.
• "Bhut jolokia chocolate" is just as famous as its red counterpart, but it is extremely rare in nature, so it is grown on plantations and used for cooking

Not all varieties of hot peppers, as it turned out, grow in their natural environment and are used for cooking. But there are varieties much sharper.

Varieties with over 1 million units

Today, many plants are bred by crossing different species in laboratories. Hybrid varieties of pepper did not escape this either.

• 7 Pot Chili - Originally from Trinidad, it got its name from the Jamaican saying that one fruit is enough for seven pots of food to pepper and flavor a dish.

• Gibralta is related to Spain, since now it is his homeland, but he was created in the laboratory of England. In order for the plant to justify its sharpness, extreme conditions for growth are created for it - high air temperature in enclosed spaces. It cannot be found in the kitchen of a Spanish woman, but it is supplied to restaurants for preparing traditional dishes.
• Infinity chili has 1,176,182 units and was artificially bred in the UK, a country where there are no traditionally spicy dishes. This red hot pepper is completely unattractive in appearance, but real gourmets love it.
• Naga Viper was bred by breeder Gerald Fowler by crossing 3 different varieties of peppers. In order to grow it, you should buy seeds every time, since with each new generation its properties are reduced. To buy planting material, you need to sign up in the queue, as there are a lot of fans of such a “sharp” all over the world.

Such varieties of pepper should be used very carefully in cooking and follow the dosage according to the recipe.

Varieties over 1.5 million

There are not many varieties that have crossed the indicator of 1.5 million units on the Scoville scale. Among them:

• Trinidad Scorpion Butch T - Guinness Book Record holder in 2011. You have to be really extreme to add it to your food. The cook needs protective clothing, a mask and double latex gloves. If pepper gets on the skin, then in addition to burning, a person gets numbness in this place for a couple of days.
• 7 Pot Douglah is a type of "chocolate" pepper, but marked 1.8 million on the scale. Oddly enough, but this hybrid variety has fans who claim that this is the most juicy, fragrant and hot chili pepper.

Such experiments of breeders should be treated with extreme caution, as you can get health problems for life.

Varieties with 2 million units

• Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is the only natural specimen of this pungency. It grows in Trinidad. There is as much capsaicin in one pod as in a can of gas. Even a very small piece can kill hypertensive patients. In addition to being hot, the fruits of this plant have a pleasant fruity taste, so a small amount of pepper added to the dish will give it both spiciness and piquancy.
• Carolina Reaper - originally from South Carolina, has a rate of 2.2 million units. It has firmly taken the honorable first place in the Guinness Book since 2013.

These are indeed the hottest peppers in the world, so they must be treated with caution.

The benefits of hot pepper

Thanks to the capsaicin alkaloid found in stinging pods, they can cleanse blood vessels, “kill” cancer cells or prevent their appearance. It is useful for people with impaired metabolism and overweight, as it promotes the absorption of food.

The most popular variety among summer residents is adjika pepper. Its elongated pods with juicy and fragrant pulp are used not only to prepare the sauce of the same name, but also add a piquant taste to any dish.

The culture of growing the world's hottest pepper is almost as ancient and no less complex than growing grapes to make wine. There are many varieties - different shapes, tastes and, of course, the degree of spiciness. Some of them are so hot that dishes with their participation have to be cooked in special protective equipment.

It's amazing how anyone of sound mind and reason could wish to feel such a fire within themselves. However, there are lovers, and many of them. The hottest strains have long formed fan clubs, crops are covered in the relevant press, and people are accustoming their taste buds to the sensation of extra heat in order to enter select circles.

We all know that hot peppers really burn the tongue, but how much? This question is answered by a special scale of sharpness (more than one unit of measurement in the world has not been so hot). Peppers are ranked from "spicy" to "Oh no! I'm on fire now! And the furniture I sit on, too!

Scoville Scale 2019

It was invented by Wilbur Scoville, who, surprisingly, did not work as a cook, but as a pharmacist.

• He came up with a very simple way to measure the spiciness of a pepper, based on a person's ability to perceive a hot taste.
• The units of measurement are parts of water with sugar, which must be added to the same part of chili pepper so that the taster does not feel any heat in the mouth at all.
• For example, one part of crushed Poblano pepper will require about 1500 parts of water for a person to not notice its presence in the solution at all.

But science does not stand still: scientists have come up with a high-tech analogue of the original Scoville technique. They use liquid chromatography to measure the amount of capsaicin in chili peppers, which is responsible for the burning taste.

However, despite all the chemical tests in the world, the hotness of pepper remains a subjective concept. The degree of responsiveness of the taste buds in the mouth is individual for everyone, and if one can absorb kilograms of fire-breathing peppers, then the other feels pain in the stomach from one kind of red pod. Plus, like grapes, the taste of pepper varies depending on the country where it is grown, the composition of the soil, the number of sunny days per year, and many other nuances. The burning sensation of neighboring pods on a bush can even differ significantly!

Top 10 hottest peppers in the world

Scoville Scale (SHU): 1.382 million
Comparison with jalapeno(medium chili): 553 times hotter.
Country of origin: England.

What happens when you cross three varieties of the hottest peppers? Naga Vipers! The pedigree of this plant with character is impressive - its parents included in our top 10 Moruga Scorpion, Naga Morich and "ghost pepper" - a chili variety that grows on the border of India and Bangladesh and is characterized by a high content of capsaicin and a correspondingly fiery taste.

The sharpness of Naga Viper is delayed; this means that the person who takes it in his mouth will first feel the fruity sweetness of the shell, before the fiery mouth of hell opens. About 7 years ago, in 2011, Naga Viper was considered the hottest pepper in the world and was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records, until a year later it was defeated by its own parent (which, by the way, takes the honorable sixth place in this rating).

SHU: 1.5 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 600 times sharper.
Country of origin: India.

Indians know a lot about spices - like the "ghost pepper", Naga Morich comes from the southern regions of India. In general, Naga Morich tastes very much like its "wild" brother - like his, the fiery nature of the modern variety is revealed slowly.

It takes about 30 seconds for a person to taste the flame. Before that, the taster feels only pleasant fruity notes. That's why this pepper is so good in sauces and marinades for kebabs - at first pleasant, soft and juicy, and then demonically spicy. Surprisingly, Indians and Bengalis love to eat whole Naga Morich peppers like a salad. True, they risk doing this only with green fruits that have not yet reached their true sharpness.

SHU: 1.598 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 639 times sharper.
Country of origin: England.

There is some debate among pepper connoisseurs about whether Naga Morich and Dorset Naga are the same variety. Technically yes, but Dorset Naga definitely represents the next evolution of the strain. This variety was created in England by breeders who for many years carefully selected seeds from only the most pungent Naga Morich plants. However, Dorset Naga has become so popular around the world that now no one pays attention to its suspicious affinity with Naga Morich.

The sharpness of Dorset Naga appears even more slowly than that of the older brother, and the delicate fruity notes are more pronounced. Therefore, in marinades and sauces, it performs even better.

SHU: 1,854.
Comparison with jalapeno: 742 times sharper.
Country of origin: Trinidad.

Without a doubt, this plant is one of the ten hottest varieties of pepper, but its appearance and taste are different from others. The skin of this pepper is chocolate-colored instead of the usual fire red, and the taste is not only fruity, but even a little nutty. Therefore, 7 Pot Douglah is unique in its kind, both in appearance and in taste. And sharpness too.

Peppers over 1.8 million should be handled with care. Just one drop of the juice is enough to cause severe skin burns, so gloves and even goggles should be worn when cooking with extra-spicy varieties. It is terrible to imagine what will happen if the juice gets on the cornea of ​​​​the eye! A very tiny amount is enough to add spice to food - it’s not for nothing that the name of this variety is 7 Pots, which means “seven pots”. That is, one such pepper is able to ignite the contents of at least seven pots.

SHU: 2 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 800 times sharper.
Country of origin: Trinidad.

Calling the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion "sharp" is like saying the surface of the sun is "hot". This, of course, is true, but does not reflect the full scale of the phenomenon. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is a pepper so hot that people are forced to handle it like a nuclear warhead - gently, carefully and in protective gear. It is so spicy that it is surpassed by only five varieties worldwide, one of which is its own variety.

The pungency of this pepper not only opens slowly, it lasts a long time! At first, everything looks quite innocent, but after half a minute, fire spreads through the veins of a person, he sweats, hiccups, sneezes, his eyes begin to water ... It is clear that most people do not use it raw for anything and never. Therefore, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is put in very spicy sauces, seasonings, so that more neutral ingredients dilute its spiciness at least a little.

SHU: 2 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 800 times sharper.
Country of origin: Trinidad.

Although on the scale of hotness, both the sixth and fifth places look the same, their taste is noticeably different. The "chocolate" version is softer, juicier, riper, less acidic, with smoky notes and earthy sweetness.

But don't let this sweetness fool you - Trinidad Scorpion Chocolate has claws, and claws are very sharp, which pierce deep into the stomach and are felt for a very long time. They are even sharper than those of the "big brother" - the minimum values ​​​​on the Scoville scale for the "chocolate" variety are higher.

SHU: 2 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 800 times sharper.
Country of origin: USA.

Although Chocolate Bhutlan has the same maximum value as the two species of Trinidad Scorpion, its “lower” limit is higher. It is one of the "fast" peppers, the demonic nature of which you feel immediately, like a blow with a hoof. Chocolate Bhutlan is a hybrid of two very hot peppers, Bhut Jolokia, the "ghost pepper" and number seven, 7 Pot Douglah. Hence the name - Bhut-lah. The taste of this pepper, like other "chocolate" varieties, is sweet, earthy, and the smell is floral.

SHU: 1.4 - 2.2 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 880 times sharper.
Country of origin: England.

Without a doubt, only true fans can eat this pepper. Like the “ghost pepper”, it opens slowly, at first letting you fully experience its sweetish fruity tones.

Unlike other super-spicy varieties that are only available to true fans who order them by mail order and buy them in specialized stores, Komodo Dragon Pepper can be bought in any English supermarket. Yes, yes, he just lies there on the shelf, a pepper that rivals the famous "Caroline Reaper" in its pungency.

It is impossible to eat this pepper without diluting it with something (and more). Like its distant relative, the Seven Pots, a single Komodo Dragon Pepper is enough to fire up a variety of dishes.

SHU: 2.2 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 880 times sharper.
Country of origin: USA.

When the Trinidad Moruga Scoprion wrested the world's hottest pepper from its creation in 2012, did its creators know the end was near? In the secret laboratories of the United States, its substitute, the Carolina Reaper, was already ripening, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2013. The creator of this pet dragon is Ed Kurri, owner of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company, located naturally in South Carolina. The Carolina Reaper is the fruit of the love of the red habanero subspecies and the Naga Viper pepper, ranked tenth. As Ed himself said, he just wanted to create a sweet pepper that would be a little bit hotter. Well, he succeeded.

Interestingly, Ed began to grow peppers for health purposes, as there were cases of cancer in his family, and the healing properties of hot peppers attracted his attention. A hobby has grown into a passion, and a passion has grown into a way to earn a living.

SHU: 2.480 million
Comparison with jalapeno: 992 times sharper.
Country of origin: England.

In the war between the United States and England for the right to be called the birthplace of the hottest pepper in the world, England seems to be winning. One of the last burning varieties bred in foggy Albion has the speaking name "Dragon's Breath". He got his name in honor of the national emblem of Wales, which depicts this mythical beast. Compared to Reaper, Breath's peak power is 280 higher, which equals a whopping 12 jalapenos!

Obviously, such a thermonuclear pepper is not intended for mass consumption. On the contrary, it was created with the aim of replacing painkillers for those who are allergic to conventional medical anesthetics.

However, the question of which pepper is the hottest has not yet been resolved. The US is not going to give up. Recently received information from the Carolina Laboratory that the creator of the "Reaper" is not going to rest on his laurels. The new pepper in his collection, so far called Pepper X, or "Pepper X", breaks all records - they say that its power is equal to 3.18 million Scoville units!

Hot pepper eating competition

For some people, even a moderately hot chili pepper can turn a stew into a lava cauldron. And for others, only a large amount of pepper can add flavor to food. However, there is a third category - those that seek out hotter peppers and eat them in competitions. For such people, there is even a special term, “pyrogourmaniac”, where pepper is responsible for “pyro”, “gourmet” for taste sensations, but “maniac” adequately reflects their mental characteristics.

These people with dubious common sense willingly torture themselves with extra-hot varieties of red pepper that challenge both their willpower and the lining of the stomach. Attention! If you even consider jalapeno peppers on pizza to be hot, then watching this video should be accompanied by a glass of milk.

However, fun can turn into trouble, as a participant in one of these competitions recently experienced. After eating a particularly hot variety of "Caroline Reaper", he felt a severe headache. Hot pepper caused a constriction of the vessels of the brain, taking revenge on its eater.