Merquén or merkén is a Chilean spice made with a long, pointed chili pepper called aji, caciocavra, cacho de cabra, or goat’s horn pepper as the key ingredient. The peppers are grown throughout the Araucanía region and are picked in February, when they turn from green to red.

They are then dried in the sun until they develop a violet color. The dried peppers are smoked, then hung from ceilings over a wood fire. After the second drying in the sun, these peppers are ground in a stone mortar or in an automatic grinder. The powder is combined with smoked coriander seeds and sea salt, and the spice blend should contain at least 70% of the powder and no more than 20% salt. 

Garam masala is an intensely aromatic blend of ground spices such as cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns. Its name can be literally translated as hot ingredients, and is sometimes described as an aromatic blend that is meant to heat the body.

This spice blend has origins in Northern India, where winters are typically colder than in the rest of the country. The spices used in garam masala vary from region to region, but no combination of spices is believed to be more authentic than another. 

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend full of flavor and heat, made with a combination of spices such as chili, garlic, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, nigella, fenugreek, and ajwain. This spice blend can be used in its dry, powdery form, or as a paste, where the powder is combined with oil.

It is traditionally used in numerous meat dishes and stews, providing them with spiciness and depth of flavor.

Jerk is a Jamaican seasoning blend used for dry-rubbing or wet-marinating various types of fish and meat. The basic ingredient in jerk seasoning is pimento, which is then mixed with other peppers such as Scotch bonnet, and other flavorings such as onions, salt, cloves, garlic, thyme, and scallions.

The jerk method of cooking has origins with the runaway slaves who used to season wild pigs' meat with numerous spices and cook it over coals. Today, most jerk meat is grilled over charcoal in steel drum pans.

Za'atar is a traditional spice blend with Middle Eastern and Levantine origins. The ingredients used in za'atar vary from region to region, and the list often includes the wild za'atar herb (hyssop, growing throughout the Levant), marjoram, thyme, oregano, coriander, cumin, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt.

The sumac imparts a lemony, citrusy flavor, oregano gives a slight bitterness, while marjoram gives notes of sweetness. The spice blend is commonly sprinkled over soups, dips, bread, meat, rice, pasta, vegetables, or rice dishes.

Translated from Arabian as spice, bahārāt is an aromatic blend of spices native to the Middle East. Although it is hard to pinpoint the exact spices used in the mix, the most common ingredients include black peppercorns, allspice, cassia bark, coriander, cardamom, chili peppers or paprika, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin.

The amount of added spices influences the final aroma, which is typically smoky, sweet, and spicy. Bahārāt can be used as a seasoning for fish and meat, it is commonly added to soups and stews, but it also works well in marinades or as a dry rub.

Sometimes referred to as the seven-spice powder, shichimi togarashi is a spice blend widely used in Japanese cuisine for imparting a nice smoky-sweet heat to a variety of dishes, from a steaming bowl of soba noodles to grilled fish. The origin of shichimi togarashi dates back at least to the 17th century when it was produced by local herb dealers in what was then a small, little-known fishing village of Edo, currently known as Tokyo.

Its Japanese name literally translates to seven-flavor chili pepper, which is a reference to the usual seven ingredients that are used to make it: ground chili pepper, sansho or Japanese pepper, roasted satsuma mandarin peel, black or white sesame seeds, hemp seeds or hearts, ground ginger, and nori seaweed. 

Ras el hanout is a mixture which often includes up to 40 different spices, while some blends claim to include over 100. Literally translated, ras el hanout means top of the shop, suggesting that the spice blend is the best and finest thing a consumer can buy from the merchants.

Overall, the spice mix should be aromatic, warm, sharp, and slightly pungent, including some common, and some unusual ingredients such as dried lavender, caraway, galangal, a variety of peppers, dried rosebuds, and Japanese white ginger. Sometimes, ras el hanout can even contain hashish or a Spanish fly. 

Sharena sol is the most popular Bulgarian spice mix that has been used in Bulgarian cuisine for centuries. It has a pleasant, mild, and aromatic flavor that enhances the taste of many meals. The key ingredients in sharena sol include paprika, salt, thyme, cumin, basil, dried fenugreek leaves, and summer savory.

It is recommended to put sharena sol on bread, potatoes, fries, vegetables, or cheese. Interestingly, although sharena sol is translated as colorful salt, salt isn't a required ingredient and can be omitted from the spice mix.