Hacker News Reader

But then there's ginger hot vs pepper hot.

"Hot" is also ambiguous; probably more so.

For "spiced" we also have the word "seasoned." It has a handful of meanings, but if you're using it to describe a flavor it should be clear that's the meaning you're using.

I've also heard foods described as having "bite" to indicate that they have a strong, spicy flavor, but not necessarily a "hot" one.

“Bite” can also be about acidic flavor too (or both in the case of vinegar siluable spices!)