This Vodka is Infused With Carolina Reapers — The Hottest Peppers on Earth

By Drew Prindle Published March 11, 2016

carolina reaper vodka — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Swill is our bi-monthly column dedicated to liquor, wine, beer, and every other delicious dram that falls under the broader umbrella of booze. But it’s more than just tasting notes scribbled on a cocktail napkin — Swill is about getting outside of your comfort zone, trying new things, and exploring the big, wide world of libations. One week you might catch us halfway through a bottle of single-malt scotch, and the week after that we might be buzzing on some Ugandan moonshine made from bananas. This column is just one big boozy adventure, so grab yourself a glass and join us for another round.

product-carolina-reaper Charleston Distilling Co. must be staffed with a bunch of madmen. Don’t get me wrong; I love a good pepper-infused spirit just as much as the next guy — but it takes a special kind of crazy to willingly infuse your vodka with Carolina Reapers.

Recommended Videos

If you’re not familiar, the Carolina Reaper currently holds the title as the World’s hottest chili pepper. First cultivated in the heart of South Carolina, the pepper boasts a whopping 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units — meaning it’s over 1,100 times as hot as your average jalapeño.

Related: The 5 Hottest Chili Peppers in the World

To make vodka with this nasty little bugger, Charleston Distilling starts with its fantastic King Charles vodka — a clean, crisp, and slightly peppery spirit made from farm-milled corn and rye. From there, they give the hooch a fresh infusion of raw Reapers, and then just let the concoction steep until it develops a good amount of heat.

I haven’t actually tried this stuff quite yet, but based on my experiences with vodka infused with far less-potent peppers, i’m willing to bet that this stuff will probably melt your face off. Yet, for some odd reason, I feel strangely compelled to give it a try.

Stay tuned for a tasting video. We’ll let you know how it goes.

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Drew is our resident tech nerd. He’s spent most of his life trying to be James Bond, so naturally he’s developed an…

Food & Drink

ButcherBox vs. Good Chop: Which meat delivery service is the better choice?

How to decide between these two popular meat boxes

Steak levels of doneness

I love steak. In fact, I would eat it every day if I could. But I despise shopping for it. If you hate shopping for meat as much as I do, you might've considered a meat delivery box such as ButcherBox or Good Chop. Meat delivery boxes are a great way to avoid running around to 3 different grocery stores to find the exact cut or quality of meat you want.

Nowadays, there are plenty of places to order meat online, making identifying the best delivery service challenging. ButcherBox is well-known in the world of grass-fed, grass-finished beef, yet many know Good Chop for its 100% customizable boxes. But where should you start? Below, I compare ButcherBox vs Good Chop to help you determine which box is better for you.
Selection of meats

Culture

The 22 best food documentaries of all time: The ultimate list

Looking for a hard-hitting documentary about food? Here's a list of the best options

For Grace documentary

When it comes to high-quality viewing, the culinary world has all of the ingredients for maximum entertainment. The pressure, the skill, the high stakes — it all makes for great television. Documentaries about food take this one extra step; often focusing on a sensational or troubling plot within the industry or how a chef or restaurant grew to prominence (or came crashing down).

Whether it's simply witnessing what it's like to be a Michelin-star talent in the world of cooking or digging into a scandal that plagued the entire wine realm, food docs offer a window into a pretty exclusive world. Whether you're a foodie or someone like me who doesn't care much about food at all, these movies will help you appreciate the artistry that goes into crafting a good meal. And, just as importantly, they can show you what happens when your best-laid plans go horribly awry. Food docs are great precisely because of how much they spotlight both the people and the food they make.

Food & Drink

Savory, minimal, nostalgic: These are the top cocktail trends for 2025

Get ready for mushrooms, seaweed, and even meats to star in drinks this year

Mezcal Union Uno Cocktail Apium

With a new year ahead, we're looking forward to all the exciting cocktails we'll get to drink in the next 12 months. Last year saw a wave of trends like warm cocktails for fall, a beginning of interest in savory cocktails, and everyone getting into mezcal cocktails and while the adventurous embarked into the world of sotol cocktails.

So, what's on the slate for 2025? We asked two experts, 2024 US World Class Bartender of the Year and Mezcal Unión influencer Jonathan Stanyard and Angel’s Envy Global Head of Brand Education Angel Teta, about what they're looking out for in the world of cocktails this year and what their top tips are for enjoying these trends at home.
Savory cocktails