# The best peppercorns for the peppermill **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899 "2015-08-15T03:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/1 "2015-08-15T03:24:37Z")
I’m giving a peppermill as a gift and want to give some peppercorns, too. Are there any particular kind that are better than others, or all alike? A little bottle of Spice Islands or a bottle from the dollar store? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/2 "2015-08-15T03:40:55Z")
When are you giving it? If you want to give good peppercorns, then get them from [The Spice House](http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwo7auBRCOtoqn_s-G7aMBEiQAxArNrDGdoyZSUlr7ni15aXuMpJPeHyYUY_BeKzwh8wRd3o4aAluI8P8HAQ) or [Penzeys](https://www.penzeys.com/). They have tons of options. Multicolor are [very pretty and make a striking gift](http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/peppercorns-royale-premium-four-peppercorn-blend#content). I prefer just [tellicherry black](http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/whole-black-tellicherry-peppercorns#content) in my mill, though, because most often what I want is freshly ground black pepper. If I want the others, I use a coffee grinder kept just for spices. Don’t get dollar store peppercorns. They’re likely too stale to taste like anything. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/3 "2015-08-15T05:05:39Z")
Grocery store selections have gotten lots better in the last few years. I would get a tri-color personally, as that’s what I use. I have found good sized bottles or sometimes they’re in a plastic pouch for not crazy pricing (even organic if I’m in the right store for that selection) at most stores in my area. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/4 "2015-08-15T23:47:10Z")
The best stuff I’ve used is McCormick’s Gourmet Collection while tellicherry (not the “regular” stuff). I’d use it exclusively, but my wife bought a giant tub of Kirkland branded tellicherry from Costco. It’s pretty good, but not the best. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/5 "2015-08-16T04:37:40Z")
If the peppermill is clear, use tricolor peppercorns. If it isn’t, Malabar or Tellicherry should be your choice. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/6 "2015-08-16T05:05:14Z")
[Here’s a good rundown of various peppers](http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/07/taste-test-black-pepper-what-are-differences-in-varieties.html). For all-purpose peppercorns, I like tellicherry, and those aren’t too difficult to find. I’m pretty sure I’ve bought them at Costco, even. Tricolor is pretty, but I tend to prefer single variety of peppercorns (and, well, the pink peppercorns aren’t even pepper proper, but another type of dried berry. They have a very distinctive fruity flavor to them, and don’t really taste like pepper to me. I like them well enough, but not as an all-purpose pepper.) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-peppercorns-for-the-peppermill/727899/7 "2015-08-16T14:09:45Z")
Thanks. It’s a clear grinder so I was considering the multi-colored peppercorns.