Black cardamom is dried over an open fire, which is what gives it such a powerful smokey aroma. Beneath that are notes of resin and camphor, as well as green cardamom's menthol, slightly minty aromas that provide balance to a funky kick. These intense, heady notes put black cardamom in the "warming" spice category, along with black pepper, cloves, and chiles. It's a major component of the spice blend garam masala, which literally means "warming mixture."