The first thing that struck me about Blair’s Death Rain Cracked Crab chips was the “XXX Hot” label on the package. Now, anything with the name “Blair’s” and “XXX Hot” on the same package is something that I pay a great deal of respect to. After all, this is the same Blair who makes the 16 Million Reserve.

So I decided to try the chips out with something mild, that could cool the heat if I got myself in over my head. I chose to pair them with a Reuben; after all, what goes better with a sandwich than some spicy chips?

I tasted the first chip gingerly, focusing less on taste and almost exclusively on heat. There was an initial fizzle, that built slightly. But the heat is nothing to write home about, and certainly not deserving of the label XXX Hot. Compared to that time tested standard, I think these chips come out comparable to the heat of good old Tabasco.

With the heat level firmly established, I dove into the meal without abandon and found the chips to have a great texture and consistency. I love kettle chips, and these are among the best cooked that I have found. They are wonderfully firm and crunchy without being hard.

I tried, but could not detect any crab flavoring in the chips. Still, sans crab the flavor is very good, a little bit smoky and salty. The overall flavor is something similar to a barbecue flavored chip.

Bottom Line: These chips are tasty, a marked step up in flavor and heat from most other chips I’ve tried. The kettle cooking is a big bonus. But if you’re looking for something to blow your taste buds out with fire, you’ll have to add a little bit of Blair’s Mega Death or the like to get that effect.

Additional Death Rain Chip Reviews:
- Blair’s Death Rain® Buffalo Wing Chips