How long should pears and warming spices infuse before the flavour starts turning too heavy or woody?

Expanded Explanation

For this style of recipe, four weeks is usually a strong extraction window because the pears, vodka, and whole spices are all macerated together from the start. That timing gives enough fruit depth and spice character without pushing the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, or long pepper too far into a dry or woody direction.

The first ingredients likely to dominate are cloves, cinnamon, and long pepper. If the jar is left much longer in a warm place, the pear can begin to lose freshness while the spice profile becomes sharper, heavier, or more medicinal. Nutmeg can also make the finish feel dusty if the infusion goes beyond the balanced point.

Tasting near the end of the fourth week is the safest approach. If the aroma already feels warm, layered, and clearly pear-led, strain it. Do not wait for the spice to feel fully bold in the jar, because the flavour will continue to settle and deepen once the syrup is added and the liqueur begins its long resting stage.