The Deep South’s favorite eccentric hot sauce success story – Tabasco – is now in the sriracha game. Tabasco recently launched their limited edition Premium Sriracha sauce, presumably to capitalize on the troubles of the Huy Fong factory in Irwindale.

Strangely, the release barely qualifies as a major event in the hot sauce world (more like a slow burn) as the “limited edition” product is only available from their quaint online Country Store. Grub Street hit up the Tabasco PR team for more details today, and only received a description of their sriracha product, and an explanation that this somewhat experimental Thai sauce is “currently only available through the Tabasco Country Store. As McIlhenny Company develops new products and innovations, occasionally they are shared with fans through the Country Store.” Fans = guinea pigs.

Some business pundits interpret this move as kicking Huy Fong when the company is most vulnerable. My opinion is that with Sweet & Spicy, Green jalapeno, and Raspberry Chipotle (which sounds more like a Tijuana stripper name than a sauce) already part of the Tabasco repertoire, sriracha was the only sauce left.