Mental Floss

Why Some Northern Europeans Are So Into Salty Licorice

The divisive confection wasn’t originally intended to be a candy at all—but that didn’t stop it from becoming a beloved treat in many parts of Northern Europe. 
BySam Hindman|
A regional delicacy.
A regional delicacy. | Alena Gudz/500px/Getty Images (licorice); Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank/Getty Images (map)

If you’ve ever popped a piece of salty black licorice into your mouth, there’s a non-zero chance you immediately spat it back out. To much of the world, this candy feels less like a treat and more like a prank. But to people in Europe—particularly the Nordics, the Netherlands, and Germany—it’s more like comfort food.

So why does this polarizing “black magic” have such a cult following in parts of Northern Europe? The answer blends history, medicine, and a love of all things salty.

  1. From Medicine to Candy
  2. A Divisive Treat

From Medicine to Candy

Licorice itself isn’t originally Nordic at all. The root comes from the Middle East and Asia; by the 13th century, it had made its way into Europe as a medicinal ingredient. For centuries, it was brewed into remedies for coughs and digestive problems.

The salty twist came later. In the 19th century, pharmacists in Scandinavia began mixing licorice with ammonium chloride to make lozenges that soothed the throat and cleared the sinuses. 

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The treatment gained traction, and the end product wound up being more than medicinal: people actually liked the taste. Before long, candy makers took the formula and ran with it. Denmark in particular became an early hub for salty licorice production, and the rest of Scandinavia soon followed.

A Divisive Treat

Today, the Nordics and Northern Europe account for about 90 percent of the world’s salty licorice consumption. The flavor shows up in every form imaginable, from hard candies to vodka shots. In the Netherlands, people favor the country’s iconic Zoute Drop; in Iceland, you’ll find the salty confection covered in chocolate.

assorted licorice on plain background
Black licorice can come in a delightful assortment of shapes. | Christine von Diepenbroek/GettyImages

Part of the regional love may come down to culinary tradition. Northern European cuisine has long relied on salt to preserve food (and enhance flavor), and in parts of the world with such cultural fondness for the salty-sweet combo, salty licorice fits right into that flavor palette (it’s so iconic in Finland that inspired the name for a rare color of cat).

For everyone else, sampling some salty licorice can be an unpleasant surprise. The candy smells sweet but hits with a salty, ammonia-like sting that doesn’t match what the nose promised. And unsalted black licorice in Europe is different from the similarly-named confection found in the States and Australia.

Type of Licorice

Notable Characteristics

European Black Licorice

• Flavored with actual licorice root
• Salty black licorice also includes ammonium chloride

American Black Licorice

Tends to be sweeter, and is usually flavored with anise extract (not licorice root)

Australian Black Licorice

Usually has a softer, chewier texture

Red Licorice

• Does not contain licorice root
• Typically has a fruity flavor

The Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö, Sweden, even features salty licorice alongside fermented shark and stinky cheeses, noting that most foreigners rank it among the most “disgusting” foods. Locals, meanwhile, happily snack away while visitors gag. Though all black licorice fans should eat the treat in moderation: Licorice root contains a compound that, when consumed in excess, can cause dangerous health problems.

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