The Cádiz Atlantic coast cooks around atún rojo de almadraba pulled out of the strait, retinto beef raised on the marshland behind the dunes, and Pedro Ximénez reductions out of the Jerez sherry triangle. Achilipú salsas picantes, a craft kitchen in Conil de la Frontera run by Emilio Sainz, has placed three times at the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 (heatawards.eu), Europe's flagship hot sauce competition, with one sauce built on that same Pedro Ximénez reduction.
Achilipú is a two-person operation, with Emilio and his partner handling the entire process from chilli through to bottling. The range leans on what Emilio describes as Caribbean chilli stock crossed with Andalusian and Mediterranean technique, made by hand in small batches. The three medalled sauces sit across the heat scale, one a sweet-smoky BBQ build, one a mid-heat house sauce, one an extra-hot at the top end of the range.
Nathan Austin on the BBQ build:
"Barbacoa Pedro Ximenez is the one that sells me on this kitchen. Pedro Ximénez is a sherry reduction Andalusian cooks use to glaze pork and reach for over ice cream, and pulling it into a smoky BBQ chilli sauce is the kind of move you only make if you actually cook with the stuff." – Nathan Austin, Tasting Editor, Republic of Heat
Andalusí (silver, Hot Chili Sauce): a Caribbean recipe with an Andalusian soul, made by hand with chillies Emilio sources specifically for this build. The house sauce, sitting in the middle of the range.
Extrapicante (bronze, Extra Hot Chili Sauce): a Caribbean extra-hot chilli worked Mediterranean-style, built around a chilli from the island of Trinidad. Intense heat, deep flavour underneath.
Barbacoa Pedro Ximenez (bronze, BBQ Chili Sauce): smoky chilli pulled into sweetness with a reduction of Pedro Ximénez, the Jerez sherry that Andalusian kitchens cook around.
"Many thanks for the recognition of our work. For us it really matters that our sauces are recognised at the European level, and to have picked up awards across several sauces fills us with satisfaction and joy." – Emilio Sainz, Achilipú salsas picantes
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 ran over 200 sauces from across the continent through blind tasting this year, scored on five criteria by a deliberately mixed panel of chefs, sommeliers, critics and chilli specialists. Hot Chili Sauce, Extra Hot Chili Sauce and BBQ Chili Sauce are three different jobs for a producer to do well at once, and Achilipú placed in all three.
"Three medals across three categories isn't a lucky bottle, that's a kitchen that knows what it's doing across the heat scale. Conil should keep an eye on what Emilio brings next." – Neil Numb, Founder, European Hot Sauce Awards
Andalusí, Extrapicante and Barbacoa Pedro Ximenez are available through Achilipú salsas picantes. Full EHSA 2026 results across all 16 categories: heatawards.eu/results/2026?utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=press&utm_campaign=ehsa2026&utm_content=achilipu.
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 are announced ahead of the Berlin Chili Fest, 29–31 May 2026. Republic of Heat's EHSA 2026 Top 3 winner box is live at republicofheat.com/de-en/discovery-set/euhsa_top3, with further EHSA selection boxes at republicofheat.com/de-en/hot-sauce-sets.
PRESS RESOURCES Reveal videos on YouTube, embeddable: - Hot Chili Sauce: https://youtu.be/eOgGEPJp0lk - Extra Hot Chili Sauce: https://youtu.be/WXVJ6Qcbjzw - BBQ Chili Sauce: https://youtu.be/uxQ3KMdJZGE Press kit (photos, logos, AI lifestyle composites credited Republic of Heat / European Hot Sauce Awards 2026): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1avxsduhXDGyk9Rwnl1wl9efqNpZXWqqn?usp=drive_link
ABOUT ACHILIPÚ SALSAS PICANTES Achilipú salsas picantes is a craft hot sauce kitchen based in Conil de la Frontera, on the Cádiz Atlantic coast, run by Emilio Sainz and his partner. Sauces are made by hand in small batches, leaning on Caribbean chilli stock worked through Andalusian and Mediterranean technique. The range, including Andalusí, Extrapicante and Barbacoa Pedro Ximenez, is available direct from the maker.
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN HOT SAUCE AWARDS The European Hot Sauce Awards (EHSA) is the professional competition for commercially produced hot sauces in Europe, run annually since 2024 from heatawards.eu. EHSA was born out of the Berlin Chili Festival, which has run since 2019 and returns 29–31 May 2026, and became an independent competition in 2024. Over 200 sauces from producers across the continent were entered in 2026. Entries are judged blind across five criteria: aroma, heat profile, flavour, creativity and finish. The 2026 edition covers 16 categories, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded across multiple positions in each. Each category also names a Best in Category, the top Gold. EHSA is run independently of any single producer or retailer.
ABOUT REPUBLIC OF HEAT Republic of Heat is a European hot sauce subscription designed to show off the flavours coming out of Europe and help solve the distribution problem independent makers face. Founded June 2025 in Berlin by Nathan "Naga" Austin and Simon "Scoville" Gardner. The Discovery subscription delivers three handpicked craft sauces plus a spicy extra to subscribers across the EU each month. Press partner of the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026. republicofheat.com.
PRESS CONTACT Press: Republic of Heat, on behalf of European Hot Sauce Awards contact@republicofheat.com +49 176 41601284
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