ChilliFacts

Tabasco vs Cayenne

Tabasco is hotter, at about 40,000 SHU against 40,000 SHU for Cayenne: about 1× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 0.6× to 2×.

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

40,000 SHUTabasco
40,000 SHUCayenne
1×Heat ratio
TabascoHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUCarolina Reaper: 1,641,183 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 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUCayenne · 40,000Tabasco · 40,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Tabasco and Cayenne on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

TabascoCayenne
Typical heat40,000 SHU40,000 SHU
Measured range30,000–50,000 SHU25,000–50,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum frutescensCapsicum annuum
OriginMexico (named after the state of Tabasco); commercialised on Avery Island, LouisianaNamed after Cayenne, French Guiana
FlavourNot documentedSharp, clean heat
Coloursyellow-green, yellow, orange, redred

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, 40,000 ÷ 40,000 ≈ 1×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (0.6× to 2× across the measured ranges).

About each pepper

Tabasco: Edmund McIlhenny grew his first commercial crop on Avery Island, Louisiana, in 1868 for TABASCO sauce.

Cayenne: It shares its name with Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Tabasco or Cayenne?

Tabasco. It averages about 40,000 SHU against 40,000 SHU for Cayenne, about 1× as hot.

How many times hotter is Tabasco than Cayenne?

About 1× using typical values (40,000 ÷ 40,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 0.6× to 2×.

How hot is Tabasco?

Tabasco: 30,000–50,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Cayenne?

Cayenne: 25,000–50,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Tabasco and Cayenne the same species?

No. Tabasco is Capsicum frutescens; Cayenne is Capsicum annuum.

People also compare

Sources

  1. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Tabasco: 30,000-50,000
  2. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Tabasco: 30,000-50,000; C. frutescens
  3. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Cayenne: 30,000-50,000
  4. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Cayenne: 25,000-50,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.