Posted August 8, 2006 by Anthony in Reviews

Review: Alberta Crude Special Reserve Hot Sauce

It’s not often I get to open up one of my collector bottles for the sake of a review. But I am taking one for the HSB readers to give the low down on this gem. I hope you read my Retro Review for Alberta Crude which was recently published. It will give you a good backdrop for this Reserve. I actually don’t think it should be called a [tag]hot sauce[/tag] collectible. Vintage hot sauce is more appropriate. If it was signed and number, sure but this is made for the discerning hot sauce connoisseur.

Yes the wooden case has been done before. But you know what. I like it. I like it a lot. I think all the sauce makers that release a Reserve can use this and it would still be great. Now I am by no means a wine connoisseur. But this would make anyone proud to have it there collection. To bring something like this out to show it off gives it a sense of importance. So Sauce Makers out there, in my opinion the crates are amazing.

Box info: Made for the discerning hot sauce connoisseur.
Rocky Mountain Cedar Products
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
403-243-1811
From what I heard they are company supporting and employing people with handicaps.

The bottle itself is slightly smaller than a regular 5oz woozy. Not by much though, it still packs 4.4oz. Along with this change the label has been changed to a gold foil.

So back to my wine analogy. This for me is the equivalent of opening up a fine vintage. You give it that extra respect it deserves.

Ingredients: Tomato Paste, Red Habanero Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Peri-Peri Peppers, Chipotle Peppers, Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Salt, Spices, Shallots, Garlic, Black Pepper, Oleoresin, Capsicum.

I thought the best way to do this was a blind taste test. So I had my hot sauce hottie take two samples and let me try them (didn’t even look for colour or texture). I could tell the difference straight off the bat. The reserve had the extra Oomph in the taste and heat category. I still stick to my rating of the original Alberta Crude. The reserve was just that much more special. As for the texture, colour and consistency they are very similar.

I would keep this reserve for more special meals. I don’t think a Pizza Pocket will be seeing this sauce anytime soon. This is more for steaks and seafood. Hence the Alaskan King Crab and New York Striploins. The taste on the crab…not so much. On the steak…well!!! Now we are talking. With the bit of seasoning on the steaks and this added just slightly, the steak was just perfect.

This hot sauce typically sells for $18.95. Is it worth it? Emphatically yes on two fronts. One for the collectability and one for the taste. It is expensive enough that you have to worry about opening up a collectible. More like opening up an expensive bottle of wine. The best part is that this will last longer than that bottle of wine.

If you like the original Alberta Crude hot sauce, you will love this. If you are a discerning hot sauce connoisseur, this is a must have. If you want it just for the collectability of it, you can’t go wrong. Great Stuff!!!