Dead Mouth Heat
5 / 10
Dead Mouth Flavor
8 / 10
MIKE'S HAND CRAFTED ENRAGED
Holy Smokes! This hot sauce is as smoky as they get with a touch of sweetness in the scent. It’s reminiscent of a Single Malt Scotch such as Laphroiag. The first taste is of an intense smoke, followed by a fruity sweetness and a vinegar finish. The fruity flavor of a pineapple vinegar is surprisingly delicious, pairing nicely with the smoke and adding a unique tang to the finish. This, combined with the apple cider vinegar really adds a different depth of flavor. Mild heat from a variety of peppers slowly builds through the linger. The whole seeds from each of the peppers add an interesting texture with random pops of flavor from varying peppers, changing with each bite. This heat continues to a medium level, rounding out this fruit wood smoked sauce to a nice smoky burn. I highly recommend using this with anything you plan to grill.
Breakdown: Chipotle sauces aren’t generally my thing, but this one was better than most. Decent flavor, mild to medium heat. Use this instead of BBQ or steak sauce on ribs, steaks or chops.
Dead Mouth Heat: 5 of 10
Dead Mouth Flavor: 8 of 10
Dead Mouth Heat
4 / 10
Dead Mouth Flavor
7 / 10
MIKE'S HAND CRAFTED EASY
A delicious medley of chili peppers wafts out as this sauce is poured, while the smoked peppers add an earthy aroma. The first bite begins with a tangy apple cider vinegar zip, but quickly turns into a deep, earthy spice. The vinegars help prolong this heat, but also lighten the flavor from earthy to tangy. Lemon juice on the second bite really brightens the flavor, but is centered by the addition of cilantro for a nice even flavor. The lemon and vinegar really help to extend the length of the linger, which trails off into a mild garlic finish.
Breakdown: Great flavor profile on this sauce! It’s got a good zip to it without being too strong, and can really be used on a variety of things. I used it on some pork loin for a great tangy dinner!
Dead Mouth Heat: 4 of 10
Dead Mouth Flavor: 7 of 10
Dead Mouth Heat
4 / 10
Dead Mouth Flavor
5 / 10
MIKE'S HAND CRAFTED SECRET
The tangy smell hits on the back sides of the tongue, and is accompanied by salt and garlic. The first taste brings a lot of vinegar flavor from the combination of white and red apple cider, and just a hint of lemon. This first taste also adds a fair amount of salt, but isn’t too overpowering. A mild heat is present at first, which grows slowly to a medium burn. On the second bite, carrots, onion and garlic are noted, turning the flavor toward a vegetal tone. I noted cilantro, with a possible hint of sage and black
peppercorn. Overall, the heat remains at a medium level through the tasting and the linger, with a solid vinegar and salt presence throughout.
Breakdown: It’s a bit much on the vinegar for some people, but it tones down a bit once it’s in a meal. It’s a nice substitute for an off-the-shelf variety, creating a craft upgrade from a standard sauce.
Dead Mouth Heat: 4 of 10
Dead Mouth Flavor: 5 of 10
