Cocktails with Allspice
Allspice is the dried unripe berry of pimento, a single spice tasting like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
How it's used
Use the berries whole or lightly cracked in a pitcher or infusion, so you can lift them out when the spice is right. Crack them just before use.
Substitutes for Allspice
Ground allspice
Add a tiny pinch at a time, as it is stronger than berries. The powder clouds the liquid, so you will need to strain a pitcher well.
The closest whole spice. They hold about five times as much essential oil, so drop in a single clove instead of several berries and taste.
Pimento dram
A barspoon of this liqueur brings the right spice to a pitcher. Add it a little at a time so you do not overload the batch with sugar and alcohol.
Pimiento pepper
Will not work. It is a sweet red pepper, only confused with the spice because of the shared Spanish name.
Storage
Whole berries keep for months sealed and dark and crush easily under a glass. Ground allspice fades much faster, and the clove note goes first, which leaves it smelling flatly of cinnamon.
