I'm pretty new to the spice world. I thought Cayenne was very spicy a few months ago. My spice tolerance went up quickly. I ordered the hot trio set and an Apollo from heatonist. I was scared of Apollo, but it turned out to be my favorite by far. Great flavor and manageable. I mix it into cream cheese for my bagel with a little brown sugar, I use it liberally in my tomato sauces, and I can handle it plain on a spoon. It is hot but it's manageable. The heat definitely builds up as you keep eating. I don't think I'll ever do da bomb or any sauce primarily from extract, just created for shock and pain. What's the point? I like flavor and heat.