Dragon's Breath

Sweet and fruity with floral and slightly bitter undertones, but the extreme pungency overshadows these notes in any use.

Dragon's Breath is a superhot chili pepper cultivar of the species Capsicum chinense, unofficially tested at 2.48 million Scoville Heat Units. It originated in the United Kingdom through a collaboration between chili grower Neal Price of NPK Technology, researchers at Nottingham Trent University, and later cultivated by Mike Smith in St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales. The pepper was developed during experiments with a specialized plant food and exploration of capsaicin for use as a natural topical anesthetic for patients allergic to conventional options. Mike Smith grew it with the intention of showcasing an attractive plant at the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show, where the extreme heat emerged unexpectedly. Named after the Welsh dragon, a national symbol of Wales, it was shortlisted but did not win the Plant of the Year contest. The pods are small and unassuming, approximately 0.5 to 2 inches long, wrinkled, pock-marked, and bumpy, often featuring a scorpion-like tail or stinger. They ripen from green to a vibrant red. The plant grows 3 to 4 feet tall, is highly productive, and tolerates heat stress well. Flavor notes include sweet, fruity, floral, and slightly bitter tones, though the intense pungency dominates. Due to its extreme heat, it is not suitable for direct consumption or commercial culinary use but finds application in extreme hot sauces and spice powders in minuscule quantities, as well as ongoing capsaicin research for medicinal purposes. Handling requires gloves, goggles, and caution to avoid severe irritation. It has not received official Guinness World Records recognition and has been surpassed by Pepper X.

The Dragon's Breath pepper was developed in a collaboration between chili grower Neal Price of NPK Technology, researchers at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, and later cultivated by Mike Smith in St Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales. It originated from experiments testing a specialized plant food and exploring capsaicin's properties for use as a natural topical anesthetic, particularly for patients allergic to conventional options. Mike Smith grew the plant intending to showcase an attractive specimen at the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show, where the unprecedented heat level became apparent. The name honors the Welsh dragon, a national symbol of Wales. Although submitted for Guinness World Records consideration, it remains unofficially tested and has been surpassed by hotter cultivars like Pepper X.