After reviewing hundreds of products over the last three years I've become a bit jaded. Though most of the products that I'm fortunate enough to review are quite good, it's rare that any of them actually "Wow" me. On the rare occasion that I find a truly exceptional product, I can't wait to spread the word. It just so happens that one of those "Wow" products came to my doorstep last week.

Grumpy's Private Reserve Bold XX BBQ sauce is as good as (or perhaps better than) any Kansas City style sauce I've used. One of four natural, small batch sauces from the Colorado based company, Bold XX elevates the convential sweet, smokey genre with a smooth, complex and slightly spicy flavor that had me swooning almost immediately. Earning both Scovie and Golden Chile awards, as well as high honors at the American Royal, Grumpy's Bold XX is impressing BBQ aficianados all over the country.

Grumpy's sauces are packaged in 16 oz glass bottles. Each sauce is labeled with a unique solid color as well as Grumpy's animated sketch pig logo. In the bottle, the sauce is a dark mahogany that is typical of Kansas City style sauces. Though relatively thick, the sauce still pours a bit faster than common national brand KC sauces.

It has become a bit of a ritual to cook BBQ every Saturday during the college football season. There is no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than eating great food while enjoying a Michigan Wolverine victory. Babyback ribs were on the menu last weekend and Grumpy's Bold XX was my sauce of choice.

I brushed Grumpy's Bold XX on the ribs as they finished on the grill. The sauce proved to be a perfect selection for ribs. It brushed on easily and stuck to the meat well. The color was fantastic and the sugary sauce gave the bones a great sticky finish. As the sauce heated, the sweet, smokey, tangy and spicy elements came together for surprisingly rich, complex taste with just enough heat to leave your lips tingling.

Though perfect for ribs, Grumpy's Bold XX would be equally tasty on smoked or grilled chicken. I recommend heating the sauce to get the complete picture of its flavor. Out of the bottle (cold), the individual flavor elements are bolder and more distinct. That being said, I love the sauce on just about everything. I used it (cold) on a smoked meatloaf and enjoyed every bite.

Every time I think I've found sauce perfection something new comes along and changes my perspective. I'm sure many more great sauce experiences lie ahead, but for now, Grumpy's Bold XX is one of my most memorable. With three other flavors from Grumpy's to sample, I can hardly wait to get cooking.

If you're a KC BBQ stylist, you've got to try Grumpy's Bold XX. Also, be sure to check them out online for information about Bold XX and their other flavors. http://www.grumpysbbq.com/ . If you haven't figured it out already, you see Grumpy's Bold XX star rating on our "Product Reviews" page.