I prefer to buy individual spices because you can customize them and because the ones you really like won’t be zombies in your pantry after 10 years. For example, I’ve got a bottle of Chinese five spice that’s been used once because I don’t like the licorice/fennel taste of star anise.

I do keep garam masala because I use that regularly. And I intend to try Berbere.

This 1000%

Chili powder is a good one to have. I make mine from arbol, guajilo, and ancho chilis. Adjust arbol for spice, ancho for richness and flavor, and guajilo for tang and smoke.

Edit: typo

Meat Church Holy Voodoo is my favorite ever. It’s Cajun-ish but a little less spicy. Technically a dry rub more than a cooking spice blend I suppose, but I have occasionally used it in place of real Cajun when I wanted the flavor but not the heat, and never had any complaints. All the Meat Church rubs are just fantastic.

sea salt, brown sugar, coriander, paprika, black pepper.

I got the mix from a braai rub I randomly grabbed at the supermarket and its now one of my favourite. I love the way the sugar glazes the meat.

I had never thought of putting sugar in meat, but now that I think about it BBQ sauce probably contains sugar as well.