Here in the UK that is the case but, not for spices but for herbs. If you're from the UK you'll know that mint source with your Sunday roast is very common. It was invented by the Welsh to make their old lamb/mutton taste better.
I think if you are brought up on mutton, then mutton tastes great! Although mutton or hogget is hard to find now.
I generally dislike most European beef dishes because they use tasteless (to me) veal or wintered(?) cattle. I prefer grass fed - probably because that is what I am used to?
And then it seems the same crowd get excited about wild pork or venison - strong flavored - the opinions just seem dissonant to me.
Although I do find ram, billy goat, and old glandy boar are rather too tasty for me!
> I think if you are brought up on mutton, then mutton tastes great
No one has been "brought up on" any kind of meat further ago than the last 100 years or so, people couldn't afford it. People kept animals until they were old and had no other purposes (like milk or wool) before they were killed for meat.
