The harsh peppery assault of the dried berries. What figure of speech is this?

The phrase "harsh peppery assault of the dried berries" is an example of a metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another. In this case, the writer is comparing the intense flavor of the dried berries to a forceful physical attack, creating a vivid and descriptive image for the reader.