carolina reaper trinidad scorpion pepper scoville scale

The Scorpion is so potent it’s actually been known to burn through the gloves of testers.

This means that the Scorpion pepper is over 200 times hotter than the jalapeno, close to 150 times hotter than the Habanero, and twice as hot as the ghost pepper. The Scoville scale measures the amount of capsaicin contained in a pepper variety and is reported in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).įor perspective, let’s take a look at the heat level for some of the more familiar and widely consumed peppers out there: The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion comes in at a blistering 2,009,231 SHU on the Scoville scale. In addition to the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, which are the best known and the hottest, you can now also find new cultivars such as,

Other Names Scorpion Peppers Go ByĪs the scorpion pepper’s popularity has grown, other varieties have emerged. For those who favor intense heat and complex spice, the Scorpion packs a big punch of flavor. Still, it has a unique flavor that’s become a favorite of pepper enthusiasts.īeyond the heat, a sweet, fruity flavor comes through when blended into hot sauces, salsas, or other spicy dishes. The Scorpion pepper has gained notoriety for its ability to scorch the mouths of those who ingest it. It will reach 2-3 inches in length as it grows and ripens from green to red. His efforts earned him the honor of having his name included as part of the official name of the pepper – Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.īesides its blistering heat, the Scorpion is known for its bright red (sometimes yellow) color, odd, wrinkled appearance and tail reminiscent of a scorpion’s stinger. The origin of these peppers can be traced back to the village of Moruga on the island of Trinidad, although the Scorpion pepper as we know it was not widely known until the late 1990s and 2000s.ĭuring that time frame Butch Taylor, owner/operator of a farm and hot sauce company based in Mississippi cultivated and propagated the Scorpion pepper.

They are a close cousin of the more widely known scotch bonnet, although the Scorpion boasts a much more extreme heat. Scorpion pepper, scientific name Capsicum chinense’ Trinidad Scorpion Butch T” is a cultivar within the broader classification of peppers called Capsicum chinense. Are Scorpion Peppers The Hottest Peppers?.

Carolina reaper trinidad scorpion pepper scoville scale