Cloves come from the dried, unopened flower buds of a small evergreen tree native to the fabled Spice Islands. They have a strong, sweet, fruity taste that’s also sharply hot and pungent. And can leave your mouth feeling a little bit numb.The warm, lingering flavor of cloves works well with both sweet and savory dishes. But be sure to use them sparingly as their potent flavor and aroma can easily overpower other spices. Spice Islands® cloves are intensely aromatic with a dark brown color and high volatile oil content.