CaJohn’s- the Legend Red Savina Habanero Puree (Vintage 2004)
Bottle Description: The Legendary Fire of the Red Savina Habanero has earned the distinction of the “World’s Hottest Spice” according to the Guiness Book of World Records. “A mere 3/100 oz. can produce detectable “Heat” in 1.272 lbs. Of bland sauce.” I present only the finest of these chiles in their full, glorious fire, adding only a small amount of vinegar to insure preservation. Enjoy!
Ingredients: Red Savina habaneros, vinegar.
Container: Classy. The bottle with its metallic red label and its wine wrapper top really exemplifies the “Vintage” of this sauce. Did I mention it is signed too? Anyway cap wrapper is exactly the ones found on wine bottles (there’s a tiny picture of grapes). The flexible wooden case it comes in is great too. Everything is top-notch class. I could imagine driving my Ferrari around town with this in the passenger seat.
Appearance: Chile puree. You can see the pureed chunks. Skins, seeds, its all here.
Smell: Eux de habanero. So fragrant. The smell of chiles is so warm and tasty that it makes my tongue twitch. The vinegar smell is there but not too distracting.
Consistency: No complaints. The flow you’d look for. Easy without killing your food.
Taste: The taste doesn’t come in layers. There is no pre or after taste. What you get is chiles with a hint of vinegar. I’m torn. I have a love/hate with this sauce. Sometimes it’s the pure chile with just a hint of vinegar taste that I love and on rare occasions it’s the all vinegar swill I hate. But let’s put the bad aside. Picture a habanero. Take a mental bite. That’s what this taste like. The vinegar is minimal and its really pure stuff.
Heat: (8.7/10) I did the open the bottle mouth swish and got burned. There’s no extract so the chances of you crying like a little girl is nil. The chances of you going “damn!” is relatively high. It’s got a kick so newbies be warned.
Field Test: Beware the ides of march! Alright so Shakespear’s Julius Cesar has nothing to do with this but beware indeed. Add it to the right food and the endorphin system will pump endorphins like a steel mill. Wrong food and you’ll cast your food aside. Here’s two food items it works godly on: Chicken (plain), soup. And some that it is horrible on: Thai food.
Final Word: Not an all around sauce. SAS (specific application sauce), which you’ll have to experiment with. I would put my money (and this sauce) on foods that are not too rich. This is not a sauce you would use if you just need heat. You’re going to be tasting it so make sure it’s on something you like.
Overall: 8.2/10. The Legend 2004 is a great hot sauce but not for every occasion. If you want a more complex taste then you should go elsewhere. If you’re in the mood for something pure this is it.
