

His family had a history of cancer, and, to be as preventative as possible, he began researching communities with low levels of disease. He began growing peppers because of his interest in the health benefits of hot peppers, especially in combating diseases. Notably, Smokin’ Ed and PuckerButt are also the cultivators behind the Pepper X and the Apollo pepper, the Reaper’s most-notable challengers for the throne.Įd Currie’s pepper-growing career has an amazing back story. He was seeking to develop a sweet pepper with a little more punch. His Pucker B utt Pepper Company based in South Carolina developed the reaper as a hybrid of a red habanero strain and a Naja Viper pepper – another pepper that was once the hottest pepper in the world. Smokin’ Ed Currie is the grower of this super hot chili. There are many challengers to the Reaper’s hottest pepper throne, including some chilies that are showing heat levels at or above 3,000,000 Scoville heat units ( Pepper X and the Apollo pepper.) These chilies have yet to show the stability needed to officially take the hottest pepper title, but the clock is ticking for one of them (or another in the wings) to overtake the Reaper. In November 2013, the Guinness Book of World Records crowned the Carolina Reaper as the new reigning champ of super-hot peppers, knocking the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion down to #2 in the ranks.

To give that reference, 200,000 SHU is the heat of an average habanero pepper, so it’s a significant bump up to what was already crazy hot. It tips the scales at about 200,000 SHU on average above the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion. Even the hottest jalapeño will come in at around 175 times weaker than the mildest Carolina Reaper. And comparing it to a jalapeño is just silly. That top end is just as hot as or hotter than standard pepper spray. Carolina Reaper’s range from 1,400,000 Scoville heat units to a blistering 2,200,000. What does this chili taste like and look like?Ĭarolina Reaper fast facts Scoville heat units (SHU)Īpproximately 1.5 to 2 inches long, stinger tailĮyes rolling to the back of your head hot, that’s how hot.Carolina Reaper chilies, showing their stinger-like tail Table of Contents Yet, behind this extreme super-heat is a surprising sweetness that’s perfect for enhancing hot sauces and other spicy foods. How hot? With a heat range from 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 Scoville heat units, the Reaper is hotter than many defensive pepper sprays and it dwarfs many of the other super-hots among the hottest chilies. The Carolina Reaper is the current official hottest pepper in the world.
