The 10 hottest chilli varieties in the world: table with Scoville values

Chilies not only differ in their taste and appearance, because the degree of spiciness also varies enormously. In addition to extremely mild representatives of the Capsicum family, there are also incredibly hot specimens that have even made it into the Guinness Book of Records. We have summarized for you which are the hottest chillies in the world in these top 10!

Hotness of chilli

The spiciness of chilli is perceived by people individually; what is hot for one is possibly extremely mild for the other. One of the reasons for this is that humans are able to get used to spicy food. Regular consumption of spicy foods ensures that you get used to the sharpness and at the same time increases the tolerance limit. This makes it possible for chilli fans to eat really hot pods without any serious problems.

• Do not eat chillies with a high degree of spiciness without further ado!
• possible consequences: circulatory collapse, severe stomach problems
• enormously hot chillies can be toxic

Scoville table

With the Scoville scale, it is possible to assign the individual chillies to a degree of spiciness. This is done in Scoville Heat Units (SHU) or Scoville Units (SCU) and indicates the proportion of the substance capsaicin. This substance creates the sensation of sharpness in the mouth, such as irritation of the oral mucous membranes. Pure capsaicin has an unbelievable degree of spiciness of around 16 million Scoville units. To illustrate, if you dripped two drops of it into a pool filled with water, you could still taste the spiciness. You will find an overview of the different degrees of spiciness and the corresponding varieties in the table below:

Scoville Heat Units	Degree of sharpness	Chilli varieties
0-100	0	Sweet peppers, sweet banana chillies
100-500	1	Hot peppers, canned green chillies
500-1.000	2	various supermarket chilli, cherry mild
1.000-1.500	3	Ancho, Pasilla, Jalapeno Numex
1.500-2.500	4	Sandia, Cascabel, Yellow Wax Hot
2.500-5.000	5	mild jalapeno, for Tabasco sauce
5.000-15.000	6	spicy jalapeno
15.000-30.000	7	Lemon drop
30.000-50.000	8	Thai, Cayenne
50.000-100.000	9	Tabasco, Rocoto
100.000-300.000	10	Habanero, Carribean Red
300,000-1 million	10+	Habanero Francisca, Bih Jolokia
1.4 million -1.5 million	10+++	Trinidad Scorpion Butch Taylor
1.5 million -2.2 million	10++++	Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion

Note: Allegedly, the Dragon’s Breath variety had a SHU value of over 2.48 million, which would make it sharper than the current number 1. However, this value has never been confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records, which is why it is not listed here.

Capsaicin

The flesh of chillies is spicy, but by far not the spiciest! Because the largest proportion of capsaicin is found inside the fruit, in the so-called "placenta", which is why this is also the hottest part of the chilli. The kernels themselves do not contain any capsaicin, but because they sit on the placenta, they can take on the heat. The content itself naturally depends on the type of chilli, but it can be influenced by the following factors:

• Cultivation area
• floor
• weather
• irrigation
• temperature
• Exposure to sunlight

Note: Chili peppers that are less poured are usually hotter. The same is true if these are cultivated in particularly bright and very warm locations.

The 10 hottest chillies in the world

10th place: Trinidad Scorpion

The Trinidad Scorpion is a Caribbean variety and grows on bushy plants. The Trinidad Scorpion owes its name not to its sharpness, but to its appearance. Because the chilli pepper has a small sting that is reminiscent of a scorpion. Although it has an exotic, fruity aroma, its sharpness should not be underestimated. Because in 2012 it was declared the hottest chilli variety in the world by the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University.

• Severity: 1,200,000 SHU
• Taste: exotic, fruity aroma

9th place: 7 Pot Barrackpore

The name of the 7 Pot Barrackpore already suggests the degree of spiciness, because one pod is said to be enough to sharpen 7 saucepans. The chili peppers are comparatively large with a length of around five centimeters and have an uneven surface. The 7 Pot Barrackpore has thin fruit walls, which is why its pods can be dried well and then processed into powder.

• Severity: 1,300,000 SHU
• Taste: aromatic, fruity, less sweet

8th place: 7 Pot Brain Strain

In 8th place there is another representative of the 7 Pot strains, namely the 7 Pot Brain Strain. This not only impresses with its high degree of spiciness, because its fruit shape is also extraordinary: The relatively large chili peppers have an uneven surface and a indented tip. As a result, their shape is reminiscent of that of a brain.

• Severity: 1,350,000 SHU
• Taste: sweet, lemony aroma

7th place: Naga Viper

With the Naga Viper, an English breed is in the top 10 of the hottest chilli varieties. The chilli pepper was bred from three different varieties by Gerald Fowler, a chilli farmer. Because the Naga Viper is a hybrid of Naga Morich, Bhut Jolokia and Trinidad Scorpion. The pods grow on bushy plants, which are about a meter high and are very productive.

• Severity: 1,382,118 SHU
• Taste: very fruity at first

Note: The Naga Viper made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 2011.

6th place: Komodo Dragon

Another European breed of Capsicum Chinense is the Komodo Dragon. This was bred by Salvatore Genovese in Bedfordshire (UK). The Komodo Dragon was then offered for sale at Tesco, one of the world's largest retailers. According to Tesco, it was the most popular chili in 2015.

• Severity: 1,400,000 SHU
• Taste: fruity aroma

5th place: Trinidad Scorpion Butch T

In 2011 the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T carried the title “Hottest Chili in the World”, today it lands with its 1.4 million. Scoville “only” in 5th place. However, its spiciness should by no means be underestimated, because it is reminiscent of an extremely hot Habanero. Due to its lemony aroma, it goes well with fish and white meat dishes. But it is also often used to refine spicy desserts.

• Severity: 1,463,700 SHU
• Taste: fruity, lemony aroma

4th place: 7 Pot Primo

The 7 Pot Primo belongs to the chilli genus Capsicum Chinense and was bred in Louisiana in 2005 by Troy Primeaux, whose nickname was "Primo". This chilli variety is a cross of Naga Morich and a 7 Pot from Trinidad. The fruits of the 7 Pot Primo look a bit lumpy, but take on a bright red-orange color.

• Severity: 1,473,480 SHU
• Taste: floral and fruity

3rd place: 7 Pot Douglah

The 7 Pot Douglah is a mix of Habanero and Bhut Jolokia. The result of this crossing is an enormously hot chilli variety, which is not only impressive because of its spiciness. Because the play of colors is also extraordinarily beautiful: The 7 Pot Douglah is initially pungent green, but turns bright purple to chocolate brown as it matures.

• Severity 1,853,936 SHU
• Taste: fruity with a smoky note

2nd place: Trinidad Moruga Scorpion

The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion comes from the Caribbean and is one of the most famous representatives of the Trinidad family. In measurements by the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University, the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion had an average of 1,207,764 Scoville Heat Units. However, it was the first chilli plant to ever achieve peak values ​​of over two million SHU and was considered the hottest chilli in the world in 2012.

• Severity level: 2,009,231 SHU
• Taste: fruity and sweet

1st place: Carolina Reaper

The Carolina Reaper has been unbeaten in first place since 2013 and can boast top values ​​of 2.2 million SHU. This chilli pepper is incredibly hot and should therefore only be consumed with extreme caution! However, if you are familiar with particularly hot chillies, you can use the Carolina Reaper to season dark meat. It is also suitable for refining dishes with tomato or paprika sauce.

• Severity: 2,200,000 SHU
• Taste: fruity sweet with roasted aromas

Note: The Carolina Reaper is really incredibly hot and is only suitable for die-hard chili fans! Inexperienced eaters should not eat the chilli peppers under any circumstances!