When I think of classic hot sauces, Dave’s is the first that come to my mind. Dave’s really started the cold, er, really really hot war that was the exponential growth in heat of sauces by using extracts. Dave’s was the original hottest sauce in the world, and remains the only sauce, to my knowledge, ever banned from the national fiery food competition.

On First Taste

Dave’s Insanity Sauce on a chip always brings back a flood of memories. It was the first really hot food I ever had, and started me on the hot sauce adventure I’m still traveling.

The first thing you taste is a burst of concentrated habanero flavor, followed by a mellow richness of tomato and spices. The heat hits quickly in the spot where the sauce first makes contact, then slowly but surely spreads through the whole mouth. I don’t think much of the heat now, but I vividly remember the awe (and burning) I first felt upon tasting the sauce, never before having had the full capcaicin experience. I enjoy the flavor, and the fact that unlike many other extract sauces, Dave’s compliments food that it is added to rather than overwhelming it. Thus, I often use Dave’s as an additive in food when I desire a good amount of heat.

On Food

For this review, I decided to use Dave’s Insanity sauce mixed in with a citrus - jalapeno reduction sauce. I’d been wanting to try that sauce on some black tip shark steaks I have, so this was the perfect opportunity. I complemented it with asparation and mashed potatoes.

The best thing about Dave’s is that it adds heat and flavor without overpowering the flavor of the dish. I used three generous drops, which gave the sauce a good kick without bringing heavy pain. The flavor was stupendous, perfectly balancing the orangy sweetness of the sauce.

In Conclusion

Dave’s Insanity Sauce is a definite classic; a sauce with a vivid history that still brings a lot of heat and flavor to any table. I find it best used as an additive in sauces, though it’s also one of my favorites to have on eggs when I feel like a very hot start to the day.

Final Rating: 8.1 out of 10