Kettle Brand – Krinkle Cut Habanero Lime

There have been a few occasions where I have a ghost pepper or habanero flavour and it ends up being less spicy to me than jalapeno. I’m not sure if it’s just how my body reacts to those specific flavours, or it’s all just marketing. Whatever the case may be, I figured based on history this would not likely be too spicy and even a light weight like me could hold his own.

I do feel that spice levels are slowly creeping up in what I would call, the general populace. While a lot of the marketing over hypes how spicy or hot things are, some brands are actually delivering hotter chips and more warming experiences. I have faith that Kettle will deliver something a bit hotter without overselling it too much. Then again, I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t too spicy. On the other hand, why would I then buy a spicy flavour? Humans are complicated.

You know how when you smell something, you can sort of tell it will be spicy even if heat itself is not attached to a smell? Maybe it’s the mental association with the aroma profile that I assume it will be spicy. Either way, smell alone is not enough to inform whether this will burn or not. I am both excited and slightly scared.

Unlike a lot of chips that claim to be spicy and hot, these really do burn quite a bit. It hits you hard, and it comes at you fast. The burning sensation also lasts a bit longer than what I’m used to. Jalapeno spice tends to hit the back of my throat, while this flavour tends to hit the tongue and the tip more, which seems to hurt a bit more. The flavour is a very zesty lime juice that you can taste when your mouth isn’t burning.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I love my chips like my women – hard and crunchy. These are very hard and crunchy, the best kind of hearty crunch. The type that will stab the roof if your mouth if you aren’t careful and underestimate these sliced potatoes. If you are careful though, and are able to maneuver your way through the forest of sharpness, these will reward you with a satisfying bite every time.

While the lore has established I don’t do repeat of spicy flavours for the sake of my body, these come close to making me want to put myself through the aftermath again. The flavour itself is pretty solid, and for people who enjoy the heat this would be a staple, even. For me though, there are other flavours that can deliver a similar crunch without making me clutch and endure the burning sensation.