Spice is new dope inhaled by Deep Purple? (8)

'spice' is the definition.
(both can mean a strong taste)

'new dope inhaled by deep purple?' is the wordplay.
'new' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation eg NT for New Testament).
'dope' becomes 'gen' (both can mean information).
'inhaled by' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are inhaled or absorbed).
'deep purple?' becomes 'puce' (puce is a purplish colour).
'n'+'gen'='ngen'
'ngen' going inside 'puce' is 'PUNGENCE'.

'is' acts as a link.