Smoking Woods?

There are numerous woods/combinations out there.I did see a link on here once that listed all kinds of wood and what they were best for smoking.I think it was on Thirdeye or The Naked Whiz site.Hope it helps.The most fun is just trying different combos till u find what fits ur tastes.

I'm a fan of pecan and apple in addition to cherry.

Hickory is a Midwest standard, but can be overpowering if not used carefully.

I used persimmon for the first time on some chicken tonight, and found it delightful.

Hedge apple (bois d'arc, osage orange -- all three names are the same tree) is wonderful and under-used.

You didn't mention mesquite, so I will -- I love it.

Alder is a standard in the PNW.

I prefer White Oak to Red Oak. If you find barrel wood (like the Jack Daniels chunks), it's White Oak. Red Oak is reddish, but White Oak is brown (go figure).

The smoke-woods I use most are apple and hickory, but I have also used and like, oak, mesquite, cedar and grape. I have so many more to try...Let a lone combinations!
Here is a bunch of information that I’ve assembled and have found valuable here at the Smoke-Shack
Smoking in the Woods, with Smoke Woods at "The North Portage Smoke-Shack"
Smoking woods / herbs information is gleaned from Weber’s Big Book of Grilling
Hickory
Characteristics: Pungent, smoky, bacon-like flavor
Pair with: Pork, chicken, beef, wild game & cheese
Pecan
Characteristics: Rich & subtle, ideal for low-heat cooking
Pair with: Pork, chicken, lamb, fish & cheese
Mesquite
Characteristics: Sweet w/a delicate flavor, burns hot
Pair with: Most meats (esp. beef) & vegetables
Alder
Characteristics: Delicate flavor, enhances lighter meats
Pair with: Fish, seafood, chicken, pork & vegetables
Oak
Characteristics: Forthright but pleasant flavor, blends well
Pair with: Beef (esp. brisket), poultry & pork
Maple
Characteristics: Mildly smoky & sweet
Pair with: Poultry, cheese, vegetables & ham
Cherry
Characteristics: Slightly sweet & fruity smoke flavor
Pair with: Poultry, game birds, pork & vegetables
Apple
Characteristics: Slightly sweet (but dense), fruity smoke
Pair with: Beef, poultry, game birds & pork
Peach or Pear
Characteristics: Slightly sweet, woodsy flavor
Pair with: Poultry, game birds & pork
Grape Vines
Characteristics: Aromatic, similar to fruit woods
Pair with: Turkey, chicken & beef
Cedar
Characteristics: Slightly sweet, very aromatic
Pair with: Seafood, esp. Salmon, meat & vegetables
Herbs & Spices
Characteristics: Higher oil content, stronger flavor, burns quickly. Try bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, citrus peel, whole nutmeg or cinnamon.
Pair with: Vegetables, cheese, variety of small pieces of meat (lighter, thin-cut meats); fish steaks or fillets; kabobs
THE FIRE
Use a good quality hardwood charcoal. If you are using a kettle, bullet or a horizontal cooker, you can experiment with briquettes and lump charcoal. Ceramic cookers work best with lump charcoal. You must use enough charcoal to have a burn time longer than your estimated cooking time. It takes around an hour for a fire to become established. Light the charcoal using a propane weed burner, a chimney, an electric coil, alcohol or starter cubes (I often use birch bark and very fine aspen or oak kindling) but DON’T use lighter fluid....It WILL leave a taste!
And remember...Letting the fire burn awhile at the beginning (before adding any foods) is doing two things....first it's letting the volatiles from the lump burn off and it's letting the initial smoke from any flavor wood settle down a bit.
THE SMOKE
And, guess what? You don’t always have to use smoke wood when you barbecue!!! However, it’s no secret that most folks do like a smokey flavor on their barbecue. Everyone has a different smoke threshold so you must be careful that you don’t over-smoke your product. If you’re using lump charcoal, it gives off a little smokey flavor on its own. Make sure to let the smoke from wood chunks or chips settle down before loading your cooker. Keep a watchful eye on your top vent or stack. A white smoke plume, billowing from your vent will most likely impart a bitter flavor and maybe a residue on your product too. A light gray or blue smoke whiff is what you are after. This is one of the hardest things for a beginner to grasp. A saying gleaned from someone on the EggHead Forum (and changed somewhat, because I couldn't remember it exactly) is helpful: "When it's BLACK, stand back. When it's WHITE, not quite. When it's BLUE, it's time to Q.
If you do add any extra smoke wood remember that a cold smoke (low heat and cold meat) takes on the smokey flavor more readily. The smoke flavor is "added" (mostly) in the first hour or two of a cook. So, add you smoke wood early on! I like to let the lump settle, add the smoke wood, again giving it a few minutes to settle and then load the meat / cheese...whatever in the Egg. The placement of wood chips within the lump pile, and splits atop the lump (wagon wheel style) will provide light smoke throughout the cook. As the fire spreads, it finds new wood.

In addition to the afore smoke-wood listing, here are some general guidelines for wood selection gleaned from "thirdeye":

Alder ………………….. .Light …………... Seafood
Apple ………………….. Mild ……………..Pork, Poultry, Beef, Seafood
Cherry …………………. Mild ……………. Pork, Poultry, Seafood
Guava …………………. Mild ……………. Pork, Poultry ???
Maple ………………….. Mild ……………. Pork, Poultry, Seafood
Peach ……..……………Mild ……………. Pork, Poultry
Pecan …..………………Mild ……………. Beef, Pork, Poultry
Hickory ………..…….. ...Strong ………..…Beef, Pork, Turkey
Mesquite …………….. ..Strong …………..Beef
Oak ……………………..Strong ………..….Beef