Hickory.. messed with that.. my conclusion is hickory is the nth American ' manuka' not quite as bitter.. but bitter.
Maple is nice.. think since the surip comes from the truck saps, not flowers etc
As to expectation a apple or fejoia , whatever, flavour from these woods.. nope doesnt flavour to the fruit.
Wine, rum whiskey either woods soaked .. nope havnt found makes any difference. Most the flavours will burn well before evaporate due to the very high temps of the wood charcoaling under a limited amount of oxygen
I think a must for taste, is not to depend on your own taste.. it is to easy to have it influenced by your own knowledge of what you have used / added.
And to ask the right questions.
"do you like it?" is very much the wrong question.
Rather, ignore if they like it or not.. politeness etc messes that one up.
Ask "what would make it better?
It is then they think about the flavours/ textures.. sweetness, bitter, back flavour, after tastes, salty, and moist, leathery over cooked , dry etc.
Did up my 1st west coast muscles (a little bigger than supermarket ones) earlier in the week (low tides) 4 1/2 hrs.. on the racks , not in shells..lips facing down to drain off well..
Comments, nice, very nice, not leathery, and sweet chilli just right..and found hard to believe they had 4 1/2 hrs.
Kanuka is a very different wood,
yeah found out accidentally back in the early days...it was very bitter. worked ok on a few guys after a lot beers
I then process through three different chippers to get the grade I'm looking for.
Found the best was a one of those approx $1200 miter 10 types chippers,, washed out well, throw a few branches thru to 'flush' anything else out.. then the bark stripped branches
Then they are laid out on large tarps for 5 or 6 days in summer to dry. If not dried enough you will get mold, ever so important. Once dried a good supply will last 3 or 4 yrs in supermarket bags
Since down to 3 or 4 bags now , hence why playing with chunks and chips around them.
Citrus.. tried that couple times but didnt smolder well, hard to work with.
Also found its the heart wood thats good/ , a little light wood on the outside ok, which is why we use 3"/4" diameter branches , not new wood. new woods (small diameter branches) also give a slight more background bitter.
Another huge no no, not mentioned.
Alway inspect your remaining charcoal after a smoke ...that you have NO ash...this means your oxygen supply to the wood is too high.
Ash is bitterness and an off flavour.
ie as the vent holes in the bottom of my cake tin corrode larger.. more air, I then place an old skill saw blade under it.
Not many round good diameter/ height cake tins left around 2nd hand an op shops these days. grab spares when see them.