Black Widow: what is in it and how hot it is
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Four peppers and natural capsaicin extract. The product page for Black Widow lists Brain Collapse, Death Spiral, Beast and Testanera, and this SpiceQuest chili grinder is rated at 1,473,963 Scoville heat units (SHU). That figure is calculated from the measured heat of the peppers and extract that went into the batch. Our pure Carolina Reaper, no. 9 Reaper X, tested at 975,612, so Black Widow is rated about 1.5 times as hot.
The four peppers
The Black Widow page splits them into two pairs.
- Brain Collapse and Death Spiral are the bright side. The page describes clean citrus, sharp fruit and a floral lift.
- Beast and Testanera are the dark side. The page describes dense body, an earthy taste and a thread of smoke.
The fifth ingredient is natural capsaicin extract. The page says the peppers give the flavor, and the extract makes the burn faster and broader and makes it last far longer. It gives no proportions.
One of the four has its own page in the Field Guide, the Death Spiral profile. What the extract is, and which other grinders have it, is on our natural capsaicin extract page.
Where 1,473,963 sits
| Grinder | SHU | Natural capsaicin extract |
|---|---|---|
| No. 10 Carolina Reaper | 2,235,842 | May contain some |
| Black Widow | 1,473,963 | Yes |
| No. 9 Reaper X | 975,612 | No |
Black Widow falls between our two Reaper grinders. On our tier list it is Ultrahot, the tier from 1,000,000 to 2,999,999. The full list of grinders is on our Scoville chart.
How the burn goes
It starts like a fruity superhot. The product page describes bright citrus and fruit up front, then a darker, earthier taste as the heat takes hold.
The heat starts across the tongue and palate and spreads deep into the mouth and throat. It is very long. The page says the burn keeps building well after the flavor has passed, so the first few seconds do not tell you how hot it will get.
The page's own instruction is the right one: start with one push. You can always add more.
Who it is for
Black Widow suits someone who already uses a Reaper grinder and wants a step past it, with a fruit and smoke taste in front of the heat. It is not a first superhot.
It is a limited release, and the product page shows whether it is available. Keep it away from children, and read our ultra-hot safety page before you open it.
Questions people ask
What peppers are in Black Widow? The product page lists four: Brain Collapse, Death Spiral, Beast and Testanera. Natural capsaicin extract is added to them.
Is Black Widow pure pepper? No. It contains natural capsaicin extract. If you want pure pepper with no extract, no. 9 Reaper X tested at 975,612 SHU.