Swedish licorice is real black licorice candy made from the extract of the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant, commonly known as licorice root, combined with sugar, starch, and often ammonium chloride (salmiak), the mineral salt that gives Scandinavian licorice its sharp, distinctive edge. It is the most popular candy in Sweden, consumed at a rate of approximately 2 kilograms per person per year, and it is fundamentally different from the black licorice sold in American supermarkets.
If the only black licorice you have ever tried is Twizzlers Black, Red Vines, or Good & Plenty, you have not yet tried licorice. Swedish black licorice tastes of the actual root, earthy, bittersweet, aromatic, complex, rather than the anise oil flavoring used to approximate it in American candy.
What Makes Swedish Licorice Different
The difference comes down to three things: the ingredient, the intensity, and the addition of salmiak.
The ingredient. Real licorice root extract, licorice mass, is dark brown to black, intensely aromatic, and slightly bitter. It has a natural sweetness from glycyrrhizin, a compound found only in Glycyrrhiza glabra that is around 50 times sweeter than table sugar by weight. Products made with real licorice root extract have this color, depth, and complexity. Products made with anise oil or artificial licorice flavoring do not.
The intensity. Swedish licorice is not shy. Where American black licorice is sweet and mild, Swedish licorice tends to be bolder, more extract, less sugar, often more chew. The flavor is present and unambiguous. You know you are eating licorice.
Salmiak. This is the ingredient that most surprises newcomers. Ammonium chloride, known in Scandinavia as salmiak, is a naturally occurring mineral salt with a sharp, slightly astringent quality that amplifies and intensifies the earthiness of licorice root in a way nothing else does. It appears in most Swedish licorice in varying concentrations, from barely detectable to aggressively strong. There is nothing quite like it in the American candy tradition.
The Main Styles of Swedish Licorice
Swedish black licorice exists across a wide spectrum. Understanding the styles helps you find your entry point.
Sweet licorice prioritises the natural sweetness of glycyrrhizin and added sugar. Salmiak is minimal or absent. This is the gentlest introduction to real black licorice, the flavor is genuine and complex, but approachable. Sweet Swedish Bastards by Haupt Lakrits are a perfect starting point.
Salty and salmiak licorice is the dominant style in Sweden. Salmiak creates a savory, slightly sharp edge that balances the sweetness of the licorice root. At mild levels it is quietly addictive. At extreme levels, products like Svenskjävlar (Swedish Bastards), the world's saltiest Swedish black licorice, it is a genuine challenge that has converted thousands of skeptics who assumed they didn't like licorice.
Chocolate-coated licorice is the third major style. Swedish confectioners discovered early that the bitterness of salmiak licorice and the sweetness of chocolate are one of the great natural flavor pairings. Haupt Lakrits has built an entire range around this combination, including the award-winning Ultra Violet, white chocolate over salty black licorice.
Is Swedish Licorice the Same as Scandinavian Licorice?
Broadly, yes. Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland all share a deep licorice culture with similar ingredients and flavor profiles. Each country has its own traditions and preferred intensity levels, Finnish licorice (salmiakki) tends to be the most intensely salmiak-forward, while Danish licorice (lakrids) is renowned for artisan quality, but all are built on real licorice root extract and a cultural acceptance of bold, complex flavors that sets them apart from the rest of the world.
Sweden in particular is associated with the licorice renaissance of recent decades, producing premium artisan brands like Haupt Lakrits that have brought Swedish black licorice to international markets.
Why Swedish Licorice Divides Opinion
The honest answer is that Swedish licorice tastes unlike anything most Americans have encountered in a candy context. The earthy, slightly bitter, intensely savory character of real licorice root combined with the sharp edge of salmiak is genuinely novel, and novelty, in food, can read as unpleasant before it reads as delicious.
Research into taste preferences consistently shows that exposure is the key variable. People who grow up eating salmiak licorice love it deeply. People who encounter it for the first time as adults often need two or three tries before the flavor becomes pleasurable rather than shocking. The conversion rate, for people who approach it with curiosity rather than suspicion, is high.
The path in is simple: start gentle, progress gradually. Our guide to introducing someone to Swedish black licorice walks through the exact sequence.
Where to Buy Swedish Licorice in the USA
Haupt Lakrits ships Swedish black licorice across the United States. The full range covers every style, sweet, salty, chocolate-coated, and limited edition, with gluten-free and vegan options available. Gift bundles are available for those looking to share the experience with someone new to Swedish licorice.
For more on how Swedish licorice compares to what you already know, read Swedish Licorice vs. American Licorice: Key Differences. For a deep dive on salmiak, the ingredient that changes everything, read What Is Salmiak? The Science of Ammonium Chloride in Candy.
The complete guide to Swedish black licorice is at Swedish Black Licorice: The Complete Guide.