Secret Aardvark began in 2004 in the Portland, OR region. The story of the sauce’s name is as interesting as the hot sauce itself. The founder, Scott Moritz, read an editorial news article about ‘how to identify a gang’ in his teenage years. He and his friends found it ridiculous and decided to send a phony letter to the writers claiming to be part of a gang called the ‘Secret Aardvarks.’ They believed him and put out a warning to the community! Years down the line, the Secret Aardvark hot sauce brand was born.
The brand currently has 4 varieties of hot sauce available, all coming in generous 8oz plastic squeeze bottles. This review will focus on the popular Habanero variety, the spiciest of the range and likely the most versatile. However, you can tell a hot sauce company is special when they have a ‘Drunken Garlic Black Bean’ sauce in their lineup.
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Secret Aardvark Habanero Review
When you taste Secret Aardvark, you start to wonder why the grocery store sauces use so much salt to get great flavor. This sauce has just 1% of the recommended daily value of salt per teaspoon. Compare this to Frank’s RedHot, coming in at a whopping 8% per teaspoon and you may wonder the same thing!
Secret Aardvark has a tremendous flavor that starts with fresh, roasted tomatoes. Then there is a rich, smooth heat that builds quickly from fresh Habanero peppers. If you’re familiar with the Habanero, you’ll recognize the flavor immediately. Add in a bit of mustard and mild sweetness, and you’ve got yourself a pretty versatile hot sauce.
Flavor
- Tomato first flavor (literally ingredient #1)
- Zingy white wine vinegar makes the sauce pop on anything
- High-end spicy ketchup sauce with garlic and Caribbean spices
Pair With
- Chicken and burgers
- Pasta and pizza
- Beer (recommended Red Eye recipe on the bottle!)
Tip: We have been reaching for the Secret Aardvary in lieu of ketchup – it’s a great dipping sauce or burger topper!
Secret Aardvark Hot Sauce Scoville Rating
After all, Secret Aardvark is a hot sauce, so just how spicy is it? This is, of course, a subjective topic, but thankfully we have the Scoville Scale to reference. Since this sauce was on season 4 of Hot Ones, we know the exact rating. From our perspective, it comes in around a 6/10 when eaten straight off the spoon.
Put simply, Secret Aardvark comes in at 5,000 SHUs on the Scoville Scale, making it slightly more spicy than Cholula hot sauce. This sauce is also similarly usable across a variety of foods, so it works well as an alternative for Cholula or Tabasco.
How Much Does Secret Aardvark Cost?
Value is key when buying a high-quality hot sauce. Some of the more exclusive sauces can retail for $20 or more per 5oz bottle! However, Secret Aardvark makes a point to remain affordable at around $8 per 8oz bottle. This means you’re paying about $1 per oz of this stuff, which makes it a good deal. The first ingredient is tomatoes, not water or vinegar as it is in some of the cheaper-made hot sauces. We think this is one of the better values for money on the hot sauce market!
Secret Aardvark Hot sauce Consistency
This sauce comes in a unique, plastic squeeze bottle with a pretty large opening (about 1cm wide). The sauce is thick enough that it won’t just ooze out, you’ll need to squeeze to get what you want. This makes Secret Aardvark a great dipping sauce or spread, comparable to other common condiments. It has more texture than ketchup, with bits of tomatoes and peppers discernible visually and on the palate.
Is Secret Aardvark Worth It?
If you like it spicy and are looking for something to replace your go-to hot sauce, Secret Aardvark is worth a look. There is a reason this sauce made our list of the best Habanero hot sauces. It is very affordable considering the bottle size and has a quality flavor and respectable heat level. The quirky and simple logo is endearing and genuine, demanding respect and kudos from us here at PepperGeek. Enjoy!
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Calvin
One of the original Pepper Geeks! When Calvin isn’t gardening or learning more about peppers and botany, he might be traveling new places or playing some music.