Review: Monty's Green Scream Jalapeno Hot Sauce

Being an avid hot sauce eater, every now and then I find myself temporarily departing the blazing realm of the Habanero in search of something that teases me with slightly less heat and more complex flavors. Since this sauce took a second place Scovie in the Specialty Chile category I figured it might be worth the time and taste buds. IT WAS!

Initial Impression: When I first approached the bottle I was intrigued by the spiffy little lizard on the label. Upon closer investigation I came to learn, from the side panel, that the art was created by no other that the famous Dave Kellett. For those of you whom might not know Mr. Kellett, he is the creator of the well known Sheldon Comic strip. I really liked the art; this little lizard with his flaming chili in hand, and his devilish grin taunting you as if he is daring you to try his sauce.

Ingredients: Jalapeno Peppers, Tomatillo, Onions, Vinegar, Garlic, Cilantro, Spices, Salt, Xanthan Gum. This ingredient list checks out A-OK with me. All natural, no preservatives, and peppers are the first ingredient in this list.

Appearance: This sauce has an impressive appearance. It has a nice natural looking green color, no freaky kryptonite, day glo. Upon closer inspection you can see little bits of garlic and spice, and tiny little bits of cilantro. It has a thick yet smooth texture and a slightly glossy appearance. This is without a doubt one of the sexiest jalapeno sauces I have ever seen. I’m getting excited about tasting it!

Aroma: WOW! That’s how I feel about the way this sauce smells. When I uncap this bottle and take a healthy whiff at the neck my mouth instantly starts to water. You can actually smell this sauce in layers. I have the bottle uncapped and in front of me as I type this review. So here is what I smell; Jalapeno is definitely the first thing to hit your nose, followed by garlic and onion and then the tangy tomatillo comes through. A couple of more whiffs and you can clearly pick out some spices, to me it seems like chili powder and maybe cumin. Let’s Eat!

Taste: Jalapenos and tomatillo are a classic combination; this sauce gets the balance perfectly. The tangy tomatillo zaps the tip and sides of your tongue while the jalapeno heat kind of lingers on the center of your tongue and the roof of your mouth. There are garlicky flavors and cilantro and spices bounce around your mouth. You will actually taste every ingredient as it pops out and makes a guest appearance. On the heat scale of 1-10 I would give this sauce about a 5. While it might be little light in the heat department for the Chile-head that is always looking for liquid napalm, it is a very well balanced sauce and does not get lost in food.

The Food Test: Pizza was the weapon of choice for this sauce. Bad pizza at that, I won’t name names, but this is a $5 pizza from a warming oven. You can see from the picture I really wanted the sauce to fix the pizza, and guess what, it did! It was actually so good I ended up eating about 4 slices and consumed half the bottle of sauce. What a great fusion. The flavors in this sauce blended perfectly with the cardboard pizza and made it pleasurable. I figured if Green Scream can make this meal enjoyable, it is worth every penny I spent on it!

Conclusion: Tangy and spicy, green and fresh. This is one of the finest jalapeno sauces I have ever tasted. Alone, it was alive in my mouth showing off its complexity. On Food, it has the ability to revive any dish and bring happy hot sauce joo joo to your mouth. Whether it’s a cardboard pizza, your favorite omelet, a taco, burrito, or an awesome meal cooked by your Mom, Monty’s Gourmet Foods Green Scream Jalapeno Sauce will add flavor and excitement to anything it touches.

Packaging 9/10 – Dave Kellet from Sheldon Comics
Aroma 10/10 – Fresh, Green Alive & Tangy
Appearance 10/10 – Smooth & Sexy
Taste 10/10 – Complex
Heat 5/10 –Jalapeno & Tomatillo with Herbs & Spices.

Overall 9/10