Allspice is sometimes mistaken for a blend of spices but it is named because of its rich, sweet scent and flavour reminiscent of spices like cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Popular in the Caribbean where the best crop is grown, allspice is also an important component in sweet mixes such as mixed spice as well as savoury mixes such as baharat from the Middle East. The ground spice needs to be used relatively quickly as the flavour reduces over time.