Carolina Reaper Caramel

Carolina Reaper Caramel is a colour variant of the Carolina Reaper, a very hot cultivar developed in the United States by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Company. The Caramel form appears in seed catalogues and grower reports as a caramel to light brown strain of the standard red Reaper.

Pods typically ripen from green to light tan and then to a caramel brown at full maturity. Fruit are generally 5.0 to 6.0 cm long and about 3.0 cm wide, with a heavily wrinkled surface and the characteristic pointed tail associated with Carolina Reaper lines. Pod shape and tail length can vary between plants.

Heat is widely described as extreme. Many sellers report figures above 1500000 SHU, with some claims reaching 2200000 SHU. There are no widely published independent laboratory tests specific to the Caramel variant. The working value of 1800000 SHU reflects the commonly reported mid range for Reaper-type variants rather than a verified standalone test.

Distribution appears limited to enthusiast growers and niche seed vendors. There is no publicly archived breeder documentation confirming whether the Caramel form was intentionally stabilised or arose as a spontaneous colour mutation within Carolina Reaper seed stock. Online discussions show conflicting claims regarding its exact origin, and no formal release statement is widely available.

The strain is historically tied to the Carolina Reaper, which held the Guinness World Record for the world’s hottest chilli pepper. The Caramel variant itself has not been independently recognised as a separate record-holding cultivar.