Carolina Reaper vs. Trinidad Scorpion: lab-tested heat compared
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Our pure Carolina Reaper tested hotter than both of our Trinidad Scorpions. The SpiceQuest chili grinder no. 9 Reaper X tested at 975,612 Scoville units, against 887,188 for no. 8 Butch T Scorpion and 734,512 for no. 7 Red Moruga Trinidad Scorpion.
How far apart they are
| Grinder | Tested Scoville units | Taste | How the heat arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Red Moruga Trinidad Scorpion | 734,512 | Sweet and floral | Quickly, then it keeps going |
| No. 8 Butch T Scorpion | 887,188 | Citrus sweetness | The moment the flakes land |
| No. 9 Reaper X | 975,612 | Peppery and sharp, a little citrus | Instantly |
The Reaper is 88,424 units above the Butch T, about 10 percent. It is 241,100 units above the Moruga, about 33 percent, or about 1.3 times as hot.
All three are pure pepper. All three are in the tier we call Superhot, 350,000 to 999,999. They are next to each other on our numbered scale, and the full list is in the Scoville chart.
What each one is like at the table
The Moruga tastes sweet and floral before the burn takes over. The heat comes to full strength quickly, covers the whole mouth and keeps going. Try it on mango or pineapple salsa, grilled chicken, or rice and beans. More is on our Trinidad Moruga Scorpion page.
With the Butch T, the heat is there the moment the flakes land, and it does not back off. Under it is a citrus sweetness. Try it on spaghetti marinara, pizza or tomato soup. Its page is Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.
Reaper X tastes peppery and sharp, with a little citrus. Its heat is instant, covers the whole palate and lasts. Try it on a bowl of pho. See our Carolina Reaper page.
The other Reaper grinder
We also sell no. 10 Carolina Reaper, which tested at 2,235,842. It may contain some natural capsaicin extract, so this page compares the scorpions with no. 9, the pure Reaper. No. 10 is over 1,000,000 Scoville units. Start with one press, keep it away from children and read the ultra-hot safety page first.
Picking one
Pick no. 7 for sweet, floral heat. Pick no. 8 for citrus and a burn that starts at once. Pick no. 9 for the hottest pure pepper in our numbered set.
The Classic Ring of Fire holds no. 6 to 10, so it has all three, plus no. 10.
Questions people ask
Is a Trinidad Scorpion hotter than a Carolina Reaper? Not in our tests. No. 9 Reaper X tested at 975,612 Scoville units. Our two scorpions tested at 887,188 and 734,512.
Which scorpion came closest to the Reaper? The Butch T. At 887,188 Scoville units it reached about 91 percent of the Reaper X result. The two scorpions are compared in Moruga Scorpion vs. Butch T.