I definitely taste a difference. Exposing the leaf to any intense heat or light will rapidly evaporate moisture and oxidize those tasty oils, and the oil oxidation rate will increase with the temperature. Give it time to slowly give off moisture, but still keep the oils intact. Leaving you with a dry, but flavorful smoke.

how rapidly the moisture evaporates isn't really the issue, It's keeping as much of the oils intact as possible so you have a leaf free of excess water, but still supple and pliable with oils.




that's just my theory.