About the brand

What started as a lockdown ritual between friends has become a legend among spice lovers. SMOKE & TEARS is redefining what hot sauce can be—luxurious, complex, and deeply personal. Founded by creative visionary Shannon Armishaw and chef Kevin Rickey, the Toronto-based brand fuses traditional smoking and pickling techniques with modern artistry to create sauces that are smoky, spicy, sweet, and unapologetically sensorial.

Each small batch is made from scratch—yet all are rich with depth and emotion. Celebrated in national media and honoured with international awards, SMOKE & TEARS isn’t just bottling heat—it’s bottling ritual, story, and a little bit of legend.