The appearance of the Scotch Bonnet pepper is what inspired its name as its squashed look resembles a Scotsman’s bonnet, which is called a Tam o’Shanter hat. The Scotch Bonnet pepper is considered a hot pepper as it averages 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units, which is about the same as a Habanero pepper. The pepper has a slightly sweet taste, with a hint of apples and cherries, but the heat kicks in shortly after consumption. It’s very closely related to the Red Habanero, so those who have tasted a Red Habanero have a good idea of what a Scotch Bonnet is like in terms of heat, but the Scotch Bonnet has a fruitier flavor. The sweetness of the Scotch Bonnet makes it a very popular pepper for Caribbean cooking and hot sauces. Scotch Bonnet peppers are used in all sorts of Caribbean cuisine, including the well-known jerk chicken and jerk pork. The appearance of the Scotch Bonnet pepper is somewhat similar to the 7 Pot pepper, but Scotch Bonnets do not have nearly as high of a heat level. The peppers are round and have smooth skin. Scotch Bonnet pepper plants are high yielding plants that grow to be about three to four feet tall.
