Cayenne Pepper

great spotting

Cayenne is generally hot by most people's standards, ground spices can lose flavor over time and some varieties are hotter than others. Also I have found growing conditions play a role in heat, with drought-like conditions contributing to higher capsaicin concentrations. I once had some banana peppers, of which even the hottest variety I would consider mild, that exceeded the heat level of a jalapeno. They were grown in a year of drought, on a hillside garden, in full sun, and without watering.