The Death Spiral is a striking superhot Capsicum chinense pepper from the United Kingdom, known for its dramatically twisted, brain-like pods and extreme heat around 1.3 million SHU. It offers a surprising fruity, citrusy flavor beneath the burn. Bred as a hybrid involving Naga varieties, it is prized by chili enthusiasts for its unique appearance and intensity.
The Death Spiral pepper, also called the Death Pepper, is a relatively new open-pollinated superhot cultivar developed in the United Kingdom. It originated from a cross between Naga Bubblegum and Naga Viper varieties by UK grower Terry Smith, with some accounts linking its development around 2016 to Refining Fire Chiles through selection of a variant of Naga Bubblegum Red. The pods feature a highly distinctive twisted, wrinkly, and bumpy skin with brain-like folds and often a pointed stinger tail, measuring approximately 2 to 2.25 inches long by 1 to 1.25 inches wide. They ripen variably from green through peach, orange, and red, with thin flesh and good yields on plants that can reach 4 feet tall. Heat levels range widely from about 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 Scoville Heat Units due to its hybrid nature, averaging around 1.3 million SHU with a quick front-of-mouth burn. Beneath the intense heat lies a pleasant fruity, citrusy, and slightly floral flavor with surprising sweetness. It is excellent for hot sauces, salsas, powders, and pickling, though gloves are essential when handling. Plants thrive in full sun with consistent moisture and warmth, performing well in containers or raised beds. As a newer variety, pod traits can still vary somewhat between plants.
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Developed in the United Kingdom around 2016 as a hybrid of Naga Bubblegum and Naga Viper peppers. A spontaneous variant of Naga Bubblegum Red was selected and stabilized by growers including Terry Smith and Refining Fire Chiles, resulting in its signature twisted appearance. It remains somewhat variable as the strain continues to stabilize.
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Reach out →Fruity and citrusy with subtle floral notes and surprising sweetness that balances the extreme heat.
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