Black pepper produces a pungent heat that is neither flavour nor fragrance,but a pain-like sensation very similar to chilli heat. The spice also has a woody aroma with floral, fruity, and citrus elements, and some bitterness.
The warming quality of pepper is produced by a pungent alkaloid called piperine. The spice’s more subtle flavours are created by terpene compounds, including woody rotundone, pine-scented pinene, lemony limonene, spicy myrcene, floral linalool, and phellandrene, which has fresh lime and green notes.
