ChilliFacts

Dragon's Breath vs Carolina Reaper

Dragon's Breath is hotter, at about 2,480,000 SHU against 1,641,183 SHU for Carolina Reaper: about 1.5× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 1.1× to 1.5×.

Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify

A single wrinkled red Carolina Reaper pod with its pointed tail
A single wrinkled red Carolina Reaper pod with its pointed tail. Photo: Richard Elzey, CC BY 2.0.
2,480,000 SHUDragon's Breath
1,641,183 SHUCarolina Reaper
1.5×Heat ratio
Dragon's BreathHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon: 1,400,000 SHUNaga Viper: 1,382,118 SHUTrinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000 SHUInfinity: 1,176,182 SHU7 Pot Brain Strain: 1,175,000 SHU7 Pot Douglah: 1,170,000 SHUDorset Naga: 1,032,310 SHUGhost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHUNaga Morich: 1,000,000 SHUDalle Khursani: 393,950 SHUFatalii: 262,500 SHURed Savina: 248,556 SHUHabanero: 225,000 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUDragon's Breath · 2.48MCarolina Reaper · 1.64M1K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Dragon's Breath and Carolina Reaper on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

Dragon's BreathCarolina Reaper
Typical heat2,480,000 SHU1,641,183 SHU
Measured rangeup to 2,480,000 SHUup to 2,200,000 SHU
StatusUnverifiedGuinness record
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum chinense
OriginSt Asaph, Denbighshire (Wales) and Nottinghamshire, UKFort Mill / Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA
FlavourInitial fruity flavourFruity and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon and chocolate undertones (Guinness description)
Coloursredred

The Scoville maths

The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 2,480,000 ÷ 1,641,183 ≈ 1.5×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (1.1× to 1.5× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

Dragon's Breath: Owned by Nottinghamshire chilli farmer Neal Price and grown by hobbyist Mike Smith of St Asaph for the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show.

Carolina Reaper: Bred by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Company.

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Questions

Which is hotter, Dragon's Breath or Carolina Reaper?

Dragon's Breath. It averages about 2,480,000 SHU against 1,641,183 SHU for Carolina Reaper, about 1.5× as hot.

How many times hotter is Dragon's Breath than Carolina Reaper?

About 1.5× using typical values (2,480,000 ÷ 1,641,183). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 1.1× to 1.5×.

How hot is Dragon's Breath?

Dragon's Breath: up to 2,480,000 SHU, unverified.

How hot is Carolina Reaper?

Carolina Reaper: up to 2,200,000 SHU, guinness record.

Are Dragon's Breath and Carolina Reaper the same species?

Yes, both are Capsicum chinense.

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Sources

  1. Guinness World Records news, 19 Nov 2013: Carolina Reaper: 1,569,300 SHU average; parentage per Guinness; previous holder Butch T
  2. Guinness World Records (record page, archived 24 Dec 2014): Carolina Reaper: record text: average 1,569,300 SHU, Winthrop tests throughout 2012, dated 7 Aug 2013

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.