Rumor has it the seeds, which are the only type of chili pepper whose fruits are not dry on the inside, were handed to him by an unnamed man who simply said, "Try these. This is a very hot pepper."
Whatever the case, McIlhenny planted them in his garden and they bore a pepper plant with a strong spicy flavor he couldn't get enough of.
McIlhenny created what would become known as Tabasco sauce by grinding the peppers into a mash, mixing them with the natural rock salt from the island and aging the concoction for a month in jars.
The next stage was to add vinegar, before aging the mixture for another month. He'd then strain the mixture, pour it into used cologne bottles and distribute it to family and friends.
The businessman founded the McIlhenny Company in 1968 after his relatives convinced him to produce the sauce commercially.