TABASCO® Original Pepper Sauce
B3.6 / 5 BASED ON 12 REVIEWS
Maker:
McIlhenny Company
United States
Pepper(s):
Tabasco
SHU :
2,500
Ingredients:
Aged Red Peppers, Salt, Vinegar
Description:
Official: "Since 1868, TABASCO® Pepper Sauce has been made with just three ingredients: fully aged red peppers, Avery Island salt and distilled high-grain natural vinegar. This simple recipe - when brought together and aged with the greatest care and attention - produces the incredibly pungent, fiery pepper sauce that's beloved the world over."User Reviews
The opinions expressed in these reviews are soley those of their author.
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A4.5
Reviewed by namikitsune on January 11th, 2021
Label:
Classic and simple, with no gimmicks or frills. It's a good clear iconic label with a great font but, isn't trying to blow the consumer away.
Looks:
It looks like you would expect from a simple vinegary sauce. It has a classic smooth texture and appearance that like the label delivers what it promises.
Aroma:
How much you enjoy the smell of this sauce depends on one thing alone, how much you enjoy the smell of pepper mixed with vinegar. If you love vinegar-based sauces as much as I do then you'll love the classic Tabasco smell. If you don't however, then it's probably best to avoid this sauce.
Taste:
This sauce tastes just like it looks. Personally, I enjoy the mixture of the pepper and the sharp taste of vinegar, but I'm well aware that many people dislike this taste and that it can be overpowering to some. Even for those who dislike vinegar though, this sauce is well worth trying as it has a great straight forward flavour and is one of the better common commercial sauces available out there.
Heat:
While I'm ranking this sauce a 3 in heat, it isn't because it's the mildest sauce out there or flavourless. If you are looking for a milder sauce or a sauce to slather then, this one is still a good one to use. For those looking for a punch or sweat-inducing pain though it's best to look elsewhere.
Overall:
Tabasco sauce is a classic for a reason. For those who enjoy its distinct and straightforward flavours this is a hotsauce that is great, and easy to find and enjoy. Tabasco is well worth trying even for the more adventurous, and is the standard that many including myself use to measure sauces by. I recommend it highly especially on breakfast foods like bagels and eggs.
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A-4.0
Reviewed by Stayner on January 8th, 2019
Label:
Classic and iconic. No need for silly gimmicks.
Looks:
Red and watery with bits of fermented pepper floating in it which can get stuck on the side of the bottle.
Aroma:
Mostly vinegar in the aroma. A bit of hot pepper.
Taste:
Distinct flavor of fermented tabasco peppers in vinegar. You defiantly get hints of oak from the barrel aging process.
Heat:
deceptively hot. I have a high tolerance so Tabasco doesn't do much for me inside the mouth. The heat is mild and dissipates quickly. I have used too much before which left my lips with a mild burning sensation for a longer period of time.
Overall:
This in my mind is the 'classic' hot sauce. While I have found some that I do enjoy more, I will never say no to Tabasco on my eggs. With a more interesting (to me) flavour profile than many of the other common sauces, I am never upset if I has for hot sauce at a restaurant and receive Tabasco.
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A-4.0
Reviewed by thejoelaguilar on October 19th, 2018
Label:
Classic label. Can easily identify this hot sauce at a glance.
Looks:
Red in color, thin, and very vinegar heavy.
Aroma:
Smells like pepper and vinegar, not much else.
Taste:
Sharp, vinegary, and peppery. Nothing too overwhelming. Fairly basic sauce.
Heat:
Fairly mild, but can become quite hot with heavy use.
Overall:
While this isn’t anything exceptional, it’s great for the common table sauce that it is. I find it to be very versatile and great on most foods.
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F0.1
Reviewed by Miyelir on June 21st, 2018
Label:
Boring label with little imagination and no flare.
Looks:
Thin watery and with loose stuff floating in it. Looks like dish water.
Aroma:
Pungent, makes you flinch away the same way your repelled by a skunk.
Taste:
Like rancid cat urine, not even the fresh kind. Whats worse is it does not even taste spicy, just rancid.
Heat:
No heat at all, I get more spice putting ginger on my food.
Overall:
Avoid this mistake sauce at all cost, do not try this as it is a waste of money, time and whatever you put it on as you with need to throw it out, that or give it to a person you want to poison. I was fooled into thinking this would be a good sauce by how popular it seems to be, but it is violently horrible. This does not even deserve 0.1 I hope to god this place is inspected by the health authorities as this can't possibly be safe for human consumption.
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A-4.0
Reviewed by Imakicola on January 25th, 2018
Label:
Iconic label. Needs no change.
Looks:
Attractive, but sometimes changes color over time. And sometimes little pieces of pulp separate. Top of bottle sometimes has visible sediments. Very thin.
Aroma:
Oaky and vinegary. Wonderful.
Taste:
Unbeatable. Light and subtle notes of oak. And beneath that oaky finish is a hint of salt. The vinegar is delightfully bold, and the peppers taste perfectly aged.
Heat:
Not too hot. But just right! Can appease many tastes.
Overall:
A very sophisticated blend that even the most refined of tastes can appreciate. Simple, but very satisfying. Sometimes I wish that it could be applied with better precision. A thicker sauce with a tiny cap (think Sriracha) is easier to apply and spread flavor.
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A+4.9
Reviewed by ovemelaa on December 19th, 2015
Label:
The old classic labeling. Its simple but its just the way it should be : the same it always have been. I have a tshirt with the logo wich i love!
Looks:
Almost perfect. Its a little to watery. The texture is fine, its very thin. The color is nice.
Aroma:
The smell is really powerfull. Smells very strong of vinegar.
Taste:
I love the taste. I have loved it since the first time i tasted it. Its salty, stingy and just enough hot.
Heat:
I rate this very high since its prefect. Its not to hot and not to mild. I think tabasco have found the perfect burn for this sauce.
Overall:
The classic we all love so much. Its my favouritte hotsauce! I've been using it on my food for 15+ years and i dont see me stop doing so in the future.
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A-4.0
Reviewed by chiligeorge on May 20th, 2015
Label:
Come on.... the legendary Tabasco logo. You cant go wrong. The neat triangular logo along with clear, legible text is purely original. Nice little glass bottle, cute.
Looks:
Red, red sauce. Watery so its easy to mix and quite thin so it goes quick. No visible chunks and very nice colour texture. A gentle tap on the back of the bottle will let a good amount of sauce on your dish.
Aroma:
When you open this bottle....... VINEGAR, right in your face. Then after a split second, a sharp peppery smell. Not overwhelming, but a nice tone.
Taste:
Mmmm...mmmm. Unforgettable. A rich, red pepper initiation and a nice, sweet, garlicy finish. Iconic pepper reduction.
Heat:
Somehow, as a guy who likes my chili hot, but not super hot, this, even though not exceedingly hot, is good enough for me. The big, rich taste always punches me in the face and that substitutes a lot of the heat. Though the heat is just not enough or me.
Overall:
I remember times where i would go to my mates house and sit down for lunch and i asked if he had any chili. He whipped this out and i froze. Before me was the stuff of legend. The almighty tabasco. Gracefully accepting his offer i spammed the chili on my nachos (along with a bit of my secret ingredient [lime juice]) and took my time. May not have quite the heat i like, but it hit the spot. If i had a bottle of this, id mix is with a hotter chili and eat with it every day till its done. Just cant go wrong.
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B3.3
Reviewed by Avetixz on March 24th, 2015
Label:
Unmistakable, classic Tabasco label. Everyone knows this label and even the bottle and cap are very unique from other hot sauces. It has a classic and traditional look which fits the brand very well, as it is one of the older hot sauces out there.
Looks:
Light red, clear sauce with a very thin consistency, almost like water.
Aroma:
Even from a distance you can already smell the vinegar. Once you get up close there is a sweet chili aroma with some smokiness and some hints of heat.
Taste:
Very overpowering taste of vinegar. Some chili taste, which blends in with the vinegar. The heat seems very seperate from the initial taste and therefore doesn't cover it up.
Heat:
The burn comes mainly in the aftertaste and fades away quickly. Pretty average heat for what you can expect to get in a supermarket and definitely not to weak for this kind of hot sauce.
Overall:
Tabasco is the classic of all hot sauces and can be found in just about any household. What makes it different from a typical hot sauce is the distinct flavour of vinegar. Personally I think the vinegar is too overwhelming and I don't like the way it covers most of the other taste. I wouldn't advise to consume this sauce just as it is, but mixed with food it provides a decent heat and it works very well for cooking in general.
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B-3.0
Reviewed by macmantrl on February 22nd, 2015
Label:
Classic look, nothing too crazy on the labeling. The Tabasco logo is instantly recognizable. You could imagine the label stuck on the side of a large oak barrel.
Looks:
Sauce is very thin and watery with small red particles that create an overall reddish hue. Overall, not unappealing, but it's not going to win any awards.
Aroma:
Very strong vinegar smell with a slight bit of sweetness. Unappealing for some people, but I don't mind.
Taste:
Has a distinctive salty vinegar taste that goes great with certain foods like corn chowder and breakfast foods. Very harsh, tangy taste on its own with a hint of sweetness. Its strong vinegar taste has a tendency to overpower and ruin some foods.
Heat:
Mild burn, has a stronger effect when used in larger quantities (which I tend to not do because of the overpowering vinegar taste it would add to my food).
Overall:
Tabasco is a classic, average sauce that commonly appears in many household pantries. It's vinegar base makes it less appealing for certain foods, but in general can be paired with almost anything. It used to be an everyday hot sauce for me, but I've since moved on to tastier and more appealing sauces. Save it for foods where it really shines like corn chowder.
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B-3.0
Reviewed by Ken on January 22nd, 2014
Label:
Classic everyone knows this label
Looks:
Thin red and watery also cloudy. This stuff darkens with age after one year it turns dark.
Aroma:
Strong vinegar odor with spicy pepper odor.
Taste:
A little heat more of a strong vinegery, spicy, salty aroma, Tastes just like it smells.
Heat:
Has a little heat but fades very quickly, Using more and you don't reall yget more heat you get more vinegar.
Overall:
This is a pepper sauce and not really a hot sauce, Uses I find are morning eggs & potatoes and using it in popcorn or spicing up a bloody mary. I always keep several bottles on hand but I can't find any more uses for it.
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A+5.0
Reviewed by foamy on February 26th, 2013
Label:
An excellent, time honored logo that is unmistakable. I could pick this bottle out of a line-up, blindfolded due to the shape of it's cap.
Looks:
Really, what looks as good as Tabasco?
Aroma:
A lovely pepper/vinegar smell.
Taste:
I'm a bit biased. I've been using this hot sauce since I was in my early teens and it is my go-to hot sauce for almost any dish, snack, chip, whatever. I don't believe I have to describe it's taste because if you haven't had any in your lifetime then I don't know what to tell you other than go out and get some. It's essential.
Heat:
As an everyday-type hot sauce, it's heat is perfect. Enough heat to wake up your taste buds, but not so much as to obscure the taste of whatever you're eating. A bright, lively, vinegar heat. If this sliding scale is only for heat measurement, then I consider it a 3 out of 5.
Overall:
Original Tabasco is the standard by which other hot sauces are measured. If you are going to have only one hot sauce (heresy), then this should be it.
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B-3.0
Reviewed by Onfirebabies on July 8th, 2012
Label:
An unmistakable logo. Simple in design and straight to the point. no flash here.
Looks:
Easy flowing watery sauce. Very thin in consistency.
Aroma:
All vinegar here. You can discern a little bit of heat...but mostly just vinegar.
Taste:
A strong vinegar taste It has a little bit of smoke taste, and a bit of salt.. Not much going on in this bottle.
Heat:
Not much heat. It tends to linger a bit, but it doesn't really punish you with overpowering heat.
Overall:
An overall decent sauce. I have found that it is a sauce that works well in cooking, and would recommend it to any chef looking to add a little punch in the oven.