The Dragon's Breath pepper is claimed to be one of the hottest chili peppers in the world with a reported 2.48 million Scoville heat units. Learn more about it here.
Scoville Heat Units (SHU): 2,480,000
When it comes to superhot chili peppers, one thing is certain - they just keep getting hotter and hotter. Chili pepper experts and enthusiasts continually cross peppers all the time to develop new stable strains. Crossing various superhots with one another is a way to continually push the envelope of heat.
Latest to be reported in the news is the Dragon's Breath pepper, with mind numbing heat the rivals police grade pepper spray and surpasses the current reigning champ, the Carolina Reaper.
There was a lot of media hype about these peppers when they first appeared, and many believe the information to be a hoax, with a great deal of misinformation reported, particularly regarding their ability to kill if ingested.
It should be noted that these peppers are real and being grown, but they cannot kill you, and nothing has been scientifically proven with these peppers when it comes to heat.
Regardless, they are worth growing and using.
What is the Dragon's Breath Pepper?
The Dragon's Breath chili pepper is claimed to be one of the hottest chili peppers in the world with a reported 2.48 million Scoville heat units. The chili pepper originated in the United Kingdom, developed collaboratively by chili farmer Neal Price, Nottingham Trent University and NPK Technology. It looks to be a variant of the 7 Pot Infinity pepper.
They were testing a special plant food and working with the resulting essential oils as a skin anesthetic. Capsaicin has well known properties related to anesthesia.
The pepper was picked up and cultivated by Mike Smith, a breeder from St. Asaph in Denbighshire, United Kingdom, whose goal was not heat, but to grow an attractive pepper plant to enter in the Plant of the Year contest at the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show, heat being a side effect.
It was named Dragon's Breath after the Welsh dragon.
Pepper Appearance
Dragon's Breath peppers are wrinkly and bumpy, much like other superhots, sometimes with a tiny tail indicative of high heat levels. The pods ripen from green to a vibrant red, and offer a fruity flavor along with incredible heat.
The chili plants typically grow 4 feet in height and are productive.
How Hot is the Dragon's Breath Pepper?
The Dragon's Breath was unofficially tested and reported at 2.48 million Scoville Heat Units, well above the Carolina Reaper, though not as hot as was also unofficially reported for the pepper temporarily named "Pepper X".
For comparison, the Carolina Reaper measures in at 2,200,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The Bhut Jolokia (aka Ghost Pepper), measures in at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units.
A typical jalapeno pepper averages about 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, making this pepper up to 992 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper.
Learn more about the Scoville Scale here.
Is the Dragon's Breath Pepper Officially the Hottest Pepper in the World?
There is currently no official word reported on the Dragon's Breath, so it cannot be named as the hottest pepper in the world.
The Guinness World Records does not recognize the Dragon's Breath pepper.
I have heard no further word on testing, though more and more people are reporting growing them, and there are some Dragon's Breath products for sale, like sauces.
Can Eating a Dragon's Breath Pepper Kill You?
No, eating Dragon's Breath peppers or other superhot chili peppers will not kill you. Perform a search for these peppers and you will find results claiming potential death or anaphylactic shock from eating them, which is completely unfounded.
However, it is possible to overdose on capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot. One would need to eat more than 3 pounds of superhot peppers to achieve this. There have been reports of people ending up in the hospital in extreme situations after eating Carolina Reapers, the world's hottest pepper currently, particularly those with previous medical conditions.
There is also the story of a man who burned a hole in his esophagus from eating super hot peppers, but that is not entirely true.
The truth is that the hole was formed from vomiting after he ate a burger with ghost pepper puree. While it is true that eating extremely hot peppers can cause vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, the reality is that they cannot tear or burn through any of your body parts.
What is the Current Hottest Pepper in the World?
The Hottest Chili Pepper in the World is currently the Carolina Reaper, which measures over 2 Million Scoville Heat Units.
Learn more about the Carolina Reaper here.
Where to Buy Dragon's Breath Peppers
You can purchase Dragon's Breath pepper seeds and other products online through Amazon and other various resources. Buy Dragon's Breath Pepper products at Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!)
RELEVANT LINKS
- What is the Hottest Chili Pepper in the World?
- List of Hottest Chili Peppers in the World
- List of Superhot Chili Peppers
- Scoville Scale
If you have any questions or further information, please contact me anytime.
NOTE: This post was updated on 2/22/22 to include new information. It was originally published on 5/20/17.
Paul says
I am growing 2 plants now and have over two dozen turning red. Any recipes that you have experimented with? I need need to do something with these. They are SUPER FREAKIN HOT!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Paul, check out my hot sauce recipe section. You can make any of them with these. Or, consider drying them to grind into powders/flakes. So many ways to use them!
Gavin says
Hell yes I want some. How much do they cost...
Jérémie says
I grew Dragon's Breath peppers last year, along with 7 Pot Infinity peppers. I admit I have trouble telling them apart but I really found them very aromatic and totally to my taste!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yeah, interesting peppers for sure.