Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper
Selection of the Trinidad Scorpion lineage that held the world heat record for three years.
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is a Capsicum chinense cultivar and a selection or variant of the Trinidad Scorpion lineage, not a hybrid. It was among the hottest peppers in the world. It was named by Butch Taylor after his own nickname, and popularized by Neil Smith of the Hippy Seed Company, who obtained seeds from Taylor, owner of Zydeco Farms in Woodville/Crosby, Mississippi, and a hot sauce company, who propagated the pepper's seeds.
- type
- Capsicum chinense cultivar
- origin
- Selection or variant of the Trinidad Scorpion lineage (not a hybrid; not derived from the Trinidad Moruga scorpion)
- named_by
- Butch Taylor (after his own nickname)
- propagated_by
- Butch Taylor (Zydeco Farms, Woodville/Crosby, Mississippi)
- peak_scoville_rating
- 1,463,700 SHU (March 2011)
- world_record_held
- Most pungent pepper per Guinness World Records (2011–2013)
- superseded_by
- Carolina Reaper (1,569,300 SHU, August 2013)
Lore & Background
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is a selection or variant of the Trinidad Scorpion lineage, not a hybrid, and its parentage does not derive from the Trinidad Moruga scorpion. The pepper was named by Butch Taylor after his own nickname, and popularized by Neil Smith of the Hippy Seed Company, who received seeds from Taylor, the owner of Zydeco Farms in Woodville/Crosby, Mississippi, and a hot sauce company. Taylor is credited with propagating the pepper's seeds. The 'scorpion' name comes from the pointed end of the pepper, which is said to resemble a scorpion's stinger.
Reader's Guide
The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is significant for having been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most pungent pepper in the world for three years, from March 2011 until August 2013. A laboratory test in March 2011 measured a specimen at 1,463,700 Scoville heat units, officially ranking it the hottest pepper at that time. One possible secret to its heat, according to a cultivator, is fertilizing the soil with the liquid runoff of a worm farm. Its record was later surpassed by the Carolina Reaper, which measured 1,569,300 SHU in August 2013. The pepper's legacy lies in its role in the ongoing race to grow the hottest pepper, as noted in the article's 'See also' section, which references the Trinidad Moruga scorpion and the broader competition among cultivators.
Did You Know?
- The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper is a selection or variant of the Trinidad Scorpion lineage, not a hybrid.
- It was named by Butch Taylor after his own nickname, and popularized by Neil Smith of the Hippy Seed Company.
- A March 2011 lab test measured a specimen at 1,463,700 Scoville heat units.
- One cultivator suggested fertilizing with worm farm runoff as a secret to its heat.
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