The New Frontier.

Epazote — a pungent, aromatic herb central to Mexican home cooking for centuries — has never appeared in a commercial hot sauce. Until now.

To celebrate the 11th anniversary of Brooklyn's first hot sauce shop, Heatonist partnered with Cantina Royal Hot Sauce to create something genuinely new to the category. Chef Julio MM developed this sauce to spotlight epazote alongside toasted pepitas for richness and body, building to a slow, deep heat from serrano, habanero, and ghost pepper.

The flavor moves through layers: nutty and richly herbal up front, building to a slow, deep heat. It's a sauce built for layered flavor first — heat as the payoff, not the point of entry.

Heat Level

🌶🌶🌶🌶 — Slow-building. Deep. Rewarding.

Key Ingredients

Epazote (a first in commercial hot sauce)
Toasted Pepitas
Serrano Pepper
Habanero Pepper
Ghost Pepper

Pairs Well With

Black beans · Quesillo · Mole · Tacos · Eggs · Grilled meats · Anything, really.

"Every year we have the privilege of partnering with one of our favorite small batch sauce makers to create something totally unique, and Cantina Royal absolutely nailed it with HEATONIST No. Eleven. It's rich, spicy, herbal… There isn't a food it doesn't taste good on."

— Noah Chaimberg, Founder & CEO, Heatonist

"Epazote has incredible depth that most people in the U.S. have never encountered in a packaged product. In the kitchen, it's essential — it belongs in black beans, in quesillo, in mole. Pairing it with toasted pepitas let us bring that same authenticity into something completely new for the category."

— Chef Julio MM, Co-Founder & Executive Chef, Cantina Royal Hot Sauce

About This Collaboration

Heatonist anniversary releases have developed a dedicated collector following, with each year's release spotlighting a never-before-seen ingredient in the craft hot sauce space. The 11th anniversary edition marks Cantina Royal's first collaboration with the retailer. Cantina Royal Hot Sauce was founded by Chef Julio MM and Diana Beshara, growing out of their Williamsburg, Brooklyn restaurant — bringing the kitchen's commitment to authentic Mexican technique and bold, intentional flavor into every bottle.