Our pals over at Benito’s Hot Sauces sent me two of their new products the other month. These are two products that only seemed natural coming out of a company based in Vermont whose maple is some of the best around. That’s right, I’ve got in my possession two pepper infused maple syrups. One with Habanero and one with Chipotle. This was an especially fun review for me to do because maple syrup sends the hyperactivity portion of my ADHD into overdrive, sending me bouncing off the walls for hours. WEEEE!!!!

Benito’s Chipotle Infused Maple Syrup Ingredients: Vermont grown smoked Jalapeno peppers and Pure Vermont Grade A Dark.

We’ll start off with the mild, Grade A dark amber, Chipotle infused one first. The side of the label states that the Jalapenos were smoked over both hickory and mesquite by Ol’ Benito. Holding the product up to the light, I do see some small flecks of pepper floating in the bottle.

Right up front is that fantastic maple sweetness which slowly melds into a complex sweet and smokey flavor. I get aspects of both the mesquite and hickory but the mesquite ends up winning out in the end. The Chipotle is both subtle but noticeable, a duality that complements this product. The heat is also subtle on this, just a faint side of the tongue, back of the throat burn.

Chipotle Infused; Flavor: 10, Heat: 3

Benito’s Habanero Infused Maple Syrup Ingredients: Vermont Grown Habanero Peppers and Pure Vermont Grade B Maple Syrup.

As we move onto the Grade B, Habanero infused Maple Syrup, my hands are starting to shake and I’m having a hard time sitting still to continue. But I’ll resist the very strong urge to run around in circles and try to finish up. In retrospect, I should have split up the writing of this review into two sessions to limit my exposure to this attention span shortening, hyperactivity inducing, sugary substance…but I’ve already doomed myself. Minds well see how far down this rabbit hole goes. Oh look, I’m ranting already. Sorry.

Unlike it’s milder cousin, this sauce doesn’t have any flecks of pepper in it. Just thick, ruby colored goodness! Once again we start out with the maple flavor but it almost instantly switches over to a fruity Habanero flavor. It continues to flip flop between those two flavor all the way into the aftertaste. The Habanero actually makes the syrup taste a little lighter than I’m used to for Grade B syrup. The heat hits the center of the tongue and then moves to the back of the throat. It’s slight but more noticeable than the Chipotle version.

Habanero Infused; Flavor: 9, Heat: 3.9

Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed by these latest products from Benito. They are spot on, uncomplicated in its simplicity, flavorful, and delivering exactly what the label states. It’s not a maple flavored hot sauce masquerading as a maple syrup like some pepper infused syrups I’ve had. What it is, is a Maple Syrup with accents of peppers. Great on pancakes, mixed into scrambled eggs, on a spoon, or used as a bacon dip. Keep up the great work, Benito! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some walls I need to vibrate through.