So, when I got the package in from The Red Vines people, I tried to find someone to give the black licorice to since I hate black licorice and I couldn’t find anybody to give it to. Everyone I talked to doesn’t like black licorice. My wife, both sisters, my sister’s fiance, and a couple friends - all of them did not like black licorice.
Do older people like it, and not young people? Maybe old people grew up with it, and young people are used to sweet, rich candy? Somebody must like black licorice - there are many black licorice candies out there and even whole companies that make and sell black licorice. Vote in the poll over in the right column and leave a comment if you feel like it. We’ll cover the results at a later date.
UPDATE: Poll results here.
More candy articles about: candy, black, licorice, black+licorice, poll, polls, sweets
If you want a licorice candy horror, go to Europe. In Iceland, I saw some candy, and it looked like it indicated it was hot and spicy. Being adventurous and liking red hots and hot tamales, I got it despite not being able to read the label. It ended up being black licorice, but SALTY black licorice. It was so nasty and it took far too long to get that taste out of my mouth.
RESPONSE: I’ve heard of salted licorice - it does sound NASTY!
February 27th, 2006 at 10:33 pm–Brian
I looooove black licorice and so did my departed Nans (grandmother) and so does my mom, so I guess it runs in families. I guess when I have a child, he/she will like black licorice too
February 28th, 2006 at 10:57 amThis debate kind of reminds me of the ones about Turkish Delight whereas older candies are remembered fondly by older people and younger generations hate their grandfather’s/grandmother’s candy.
RESPONSE: Exactly - that’s what I was wondering - if it was age/generation based.
February 28th, 2006 at 1:32 pm–Brian
I like black licorice better than the red stuff. When I buy a bag of “Twizzlers” for the house, I usually buy 2 (one red, one black). My kids hate the stuff (and so does the wife), so I get a whole bag to myself! Woo-hoo!
February 28th, 2006 at 2:05 pmIt’s probably cultural. I like it quite a bit, as does my mother, but not my brother - so it’s probably not necessarily genetic.
I just bought some salted licorice over the weekend and I’m eager to try it (I tried two VERY salty licorices earlier this year but didn’t care for them).
Personally, I’ve found that folks who like root flavors like root beer, wintergreen, and juniper also like licorice. But here’s a question - do you like molasses?
RESPONSE: I LOVE root beer and wintergreen. I’m not certain I have ever tried juniper. Molasses - is OK, I could take it or leave it. I usually leave it. But I don’t hate the taste of molasses like I do licorice.
February 28th, 2006 at 3:50 pm–Brian
I’ve also wondered if anyone likes black licorice. I was shocked to find out that one of my friends is one of the people who like it.
She’s in her 30s now and was in her early 20s when I discovered her licorice taste. She said she like the salted stuff too– amazing!
Does anyone remember “Snaps?” They were black licorice candy that was covered with colorful paint… which made it look, well, good. I soooo hated getting that in my Haloween candy. I just couldn’t believe that anyone out there liked it!
RESPONSE: Snaps - I actually reviewed them (sorta) here.
March 3rd, 2006 at 7:50 pm–Brian
Black Licorice is redundant since Licorice is the flavor of that particular black candy. I was born in the 70’s and love Licorice.
RESPONSE: I disagree. There is a candy called red licorice. I know it isn’t true licorice, but I had to specify black licorice to distinguish between the two.
March 3rd, 2006 at 10:41 pm–Brian
licorice is a lot more popular in europe, definitely. my boyfriend is dutch..they have wonderful candy stores there and tons of licorice products. he likes it and claims its completely different from american licorice(he wont eat black jelly beans). I think licorice is nasty internationally. I do know my mother likes it, and she is older. it really must be an age thing.
March 3rd, 2006 at 10:51 pmI don’t like black licorice twizlers, but I like licorice pastels and allsorts.
March 3rd, 2006 at 11:57 pmOh, yeah, that black licorice in twizlers or strings (basically all American licorice) is pure yuck. But, I’m probably going against the grain here, but I LOVE salted licorice ala European style. They call it “drop” pronounced as “drope”. I got addicted to it when I lived in Germany in the late 70’s, but it is super hard to find in the states because everyone here thinks licorice (and all candy for that matter) must be sweet. It may be an aquired taste, but once you get addicted to it, nothing else will do.
Actually, salted licorice doesn’t contain table salt, it’s actually ammonium chloride. I especially like the salted soft gums, and extra salted varieties. Last time I went to the only place left where I could find drop in the states, the new manager told me he tasted some and thought it had gone bad, so he threw it all out! Ahhrrggg…
March 4th, 2006 at 9:45 amI cracked up when I read some of this. I grew up in Holland and THAT is why I love black licorice. Any kind ,salty,double salty or sweet. If I run out, all I have to do is ask my cousins to send me some. You do have to acquire a taste,for my husband doesn’t like it at all. I also love what we called “wit/zwart.” I can get it at the “House of Rice” in Phx.
March 4th, 2006 at 6:49 pmi’m 8 and love black salty licorice. so does my Mom. she tried it when she was 12. loved it. i like red licorice too but it is candyish. the black kind is licorice.
March 5th, 2006 at 11:23 pmI like black licorice and salted licorice. I don’t see black licorice here in too many places e.g. Heritage Park, Banff, specialty candy stores. My sons like both licorice too & they’re in their 20’s.
March 12th, 2006 at 3:55 pminteresting discussion. so i have to think of bringing some licorice when we go to new york at the end of the month! 7days without licorice, impossible!!
March 13th, 2006 at 12:51 pmYou might find this amusing then.
May 15th, 2006 at 9:12 amI am a granny…but I still love the taste of Black Liccorice. I feel that it is more for people my age then for kids. So on your packaging…Write For Older People Only. Maybe it will sale faster. Thanks
June 28th, 2006 at 3:58 pmAt the ripe old age of 25, I have to admit that I LOVE licorice. Seriously love it. I’ve only tried the “salty” variety once, and that was many moons ago, but I certainly don’t remember hating it. As perhaps another insight into the matter, I’m very much a supertaster (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_taster), and I also enjoy root beer, wintergreen, and molasses. However, I HATE coffee, alcohol, spearmint, cinnamon, etc.
August 4th, 2006 at 6:31 pmI’d have to agree that it runs in families. I’ve taken polls, and way more than half of each immediate family group love black licorice. These are 10-year-olds to 85-year-olds. Partially it’s that we had grandparents on one side of the family who hid Black Jack Taffy for us to find, and on the other side finocchio (anise celery or technically bulb fennel) was always a staple of every holiday gathering.
September 11th, 2006 at 5:04 pmMaybe kids love it and often prefer black licorice because of the influence of their parents.
I have never heard of salted black licorice but I would try it because I love black licorice, snaps, good n plenty, etc…..I found this post because I was in Australia this year and brought home some chocolate covered black licorice. My mistake was waiting until I came home to taste it. It’s as addicting as plain black licorice. I also love chocolate and thought I might not like it. Now I am searching all over the internet to find chocolate covered black licorice.
One site sells it but only in 10 lb. boxes…I cannot buy $100 worth of the stuff….I would but my husband says no…lol
October 23rd, 2006 at 7:42 pm[…] So, back to the licorice. And why something so historically disagreeable to my palate has recently been garnering my appreciation. A recent post on Candyaddict.com generated much input. Opinions on licorice seem to be as strong as its flavor. You either love licorice, it appears, or you hate it. […]
December 9th, 2006 at 12:31 amLove Licorice!
When I was young, we went to Santa’s Village and in their spice shop, my dad showed my actual licorice root. They sold it there and I loved licorice so I wanted some. Well, my dad told me that it was not going to taste the same as licorice candy. I might not like it. I begged and so he bought it for me.
I loved it. Also, it was a pretty cool thing to have hanging out of your mouth when you were in school. Kids would say, “What’s that stick you sucking on?” Mmmmm.
Red Vines over Twizzlers! (Twizzlers have the taste and texture of soft plastic!) Oh, and Good & Plenty is a favorite, too!
Anyone else gnaw on licorice root lately?
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:07 amTo me, licorice is black; anything else is flavored candy.
I love it the same as chocolate. YUM!
When I run into someone that hates licorice, I figure it’s more for me.
January 2nd, 2007 at 12:36 pmI’m in my mid 20’s and love licorice. I think there’s some merrit to what Cybele said about root beer and other roots. I’ve noticed that most people who don’t like licorice tend to not like root beer. I think it’s an acquired taste… I’ve been eating the stuff my whole life. More for me.
I’m interested with the salted licorice… Too bad it’s not sold in the U.S.
January 30th, 2007 at 9:54 pmI work at a candy store and I think black licorice is an old person thing. I love the red licorice, they’re great, but just a whiff of black licorice is enough to make me back away and wrinkle my nose. I like the cherry or strawberry taste in red licorice, and not so much of the molasses taste in black licorice. Maybe that’s the same reason why I don’t like gingerbread…I hate molasses. Everytime an old person walk into my store, I can guarantee they’ll be picking up a bag of black licorice. Then they’ll slowly make their way to my register and begin with the usual “When I was little…” at which point I nodded politely and begin scrambling for the bag so they can get the hell out of my store and stop telling me their ancient stories. No one cares.
February 9th, 2007 at 12:43 pmMy mom loves black licorice! She cannot stand the red kind. She even likes those nasty black licorice jelly beans!
February 9th, 2007 at 1:01 pmI actually prefer black licorice over the red. Both my parents are from Germany and I guess I just developed a taste for it. The best is the salted licorice — DEFINETILY an acquired taste. My wife, co-workers, friends…..all despise it! Whats really good is getting spicy black licorice candy and letting it dissolve in a bottle of vodka……not just good, good for you!
As far as black licorice being an old person thing, I really hope not….I’m only 36!!!!
March 11th, 2007 at 9:03 amI actually really love the taste of licorice. It can’t be age based, because I myself am only 15 years old. It can’t be genetic because my both my parents and family hate the stuff, and I’m douting it’s cultural because I live in southern US, a place where “red licorice” is the most popular of the two flavors. I guess it really just has to deal with personal taste. I love the jolt you get from eating it, and I’m very eager to try salted licorice. It sounds amazing.
March 14th, 2007 at 7:10 pmThere’s a salty-sweet Japanese dried-plum candy called li-hing-moi, or something like that. Also definitely an acquired taste. I used to get it as a kid in Hawaii. I’m guessing salty licorice would be similar.
March 29th, 2007 at 11:09 ammy boyfriend and I love black licorice candies so much, we even asked our friends in Holland to send us some. I have an experience that i ate those candies in my office, my colleagues said how people could put those candies with such smell into their mouths. Haha… whatever, i love the smell of black licorice.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:57 pmBought a box of Jujyfruits today and bit into a black licorice piece, YUK! After weeding out the black pieces and tossing them in the trash I began to wonder if Black Licorice could be classified as a fruit? The box has the words “Chewy Fruity Candy” on the front and the name of the candy is JujyFRUIT after all. Shouldn’t there be some truth in advertising here? As a consumer I would be more willing to accept a tomato flavor (which I guess is a fruit) before that nasty black licorice flavor! So, is black licorice a fruit?
Thanks!
May 10th, 2007 at 1:50 pmI am actually eating root beer and black licorice jelly bellies as I type this…..Oddly enough I cannot stand licorice in its usual format, and the salted stuff is horrible. But I can eat the black jelly beans like crazy. To me they are very similar to the root beer flavor.
June 2nd, 2007 at 1:32 amSalty Black Licorice is the damn best thing ever discovered. It’s God’s Gift to Mankind
Being a Dane of course explains my great love of Extra Super Almost Non-Edible Strong Salt Licorice. I can live without sex but I can’t live without Salt Licorice
June 18th, 2007 at 6:12 pmDoes anyone know where I can buy the Lotte plum hard candy in the US? I bought a couple of bags at Narita airport during a layover but I can’t seem to find it here. It comes in a red bag with a picture of a lady in a kimono. The candy is salty-tangy with a chewy center. I need more - am down to my last bag.
August 8th, 2007 at 1:41 amWhy even bother with Black Licorice? About 90% of its consumers are like age 60+ and drooling in nursing homes having the dillusions of this black nasty crap in their mouths.
DOWN WITH BLACK LICORICE!!!!!!!
In about 20 years, the sales will drop to the point where nobody will even remember this nasty dog-crap tasting candy.
DOWN WITH BLACK, UP WITH RED!!!!
August 29th, 2007 at 12:33 pmI am 36 and love Black Licorice, and have liked it as long as I can remember. Actually, all licorice is black. There is no such thing as red licorice. My 4 yr old son loves it, and my 58 yr old day loves it. That is 3 generations of people who love licorice.
I get VERY UPSET when people call the red stuff licorice, because it is not. There is no licorice root in the red stuff, and if it doesn’t have any licorice root in it, it is not LICORICE.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:53 pmHurhurhurhur, the salted licorice is definately a cultural thing. It’s a big thing here in Sweden, at least (and the Finnish love it :D), with a variety of different flavors available.
as someone earlier pointed out, this kind of candy often contain licorice, but the big thing about it is that it’s been flavoured with ammonium chloride instead of sodium chloride, which gives it a very … candy-y flavor O:
Anyhow, it’s the kind of candy that I like the absolute best.
January 3rd, 2008 at 8:08 pmI personally LOVE black licorice. However, there are some products I cannot handle. Ouzo.. first sip I literally sprayed the wall and floor — I had to get that out of my mouth. Also licorice tea, talk about cloyingly sweet!! I thought the reason why licorice was sweet was added sugar. I was wrong. The root itself is sweet. The aftertaste of that tea stayed with me for what seemed like hours. I always thought since I loved good and plenty, black jelly beans, black licorice whips, and other forms of the same thing that I could handle any licorice product.. NOT SO!
January 27th, 2008 at 6:17 pmI’m not really sure what it is about black licorice. It’s slightly spicy, it leaves a slight tingly feeling on my tongue that i just cannot get enough of!
My dad and i both like black licorice (they’re the only flavor jellybean i’ll eat, and i have two bags in my bedroom of the whiped type too:)) but no one else in my family and for that matter ,taht i know likes black licorice… maybe it does run in the family?
and i’m 17. So please don’t say taht only people who are 70+ like black licorice…i’ve liked it for as long as i can remember
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 pmI loved Snaps as a child and when I first saw them in a store, I practically bought all they had. THEY STILL TASTED THE SAME!!!! Now I can’t seem to get enough of them. Can tolerate just plain licorice but these have a flavor all their own. Yummmmmmmmmmmm!
June 9th, 2008 at 1:53 amI googled licorice addiction and found this pg! guess I had a curiosity if there were any other licorice addicts out there besides me! my fav is good & plenty. I can eat them till they’re all gone, and bemoan the fact that they’re gone!
Although I doubt anyone else likes licorice as much as I do, it’s nice to know others like it too!
June 11th, 2008 at 3:28 amI love black licorice and I know of many people that do! And the majority of them are young. I only know one “older” person that likes black licorice which is my aunt.
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 pmI read through most of these replies and noticed one thing, many people who do not like black licorice are extremely rude and nasty! I wonder if that is a coincidence?
I LOVE black licorice! I’m in my 50’s and remember going to Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops when I was a kid and getting black licorice ice cream. Yum! Believe it or not, you can still find it on the internet. I liked black strings and (anyone remember this) Black Jack gum. You can still get it sometimes. Black Swizzlers are ok, but I prefer black jelly bellies, or Good and Plenty. I guess you can call me a black licorice addict. I can take (usually leave) the red licorice. Most people I know (both family members and friends) don’t care for black licorice and prefer the red kind. That’s ok. As some of you said (and I agree) more for me. I hope to be eating black licorice for at least the next 25 years (at least).
July 4th, 2008 at 11:16 pmTodd
I am with paul , I remember going to basket-robins and getting black licorice ice cream! boy I sure miss it. I wonder if there is some way you can still get it from them.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:20 amAs a tot I remember getting licorice ice cream from a small fish n chips place where you could sit and stare out at Puget Sound (it had to be before I was 4 years old, since that’s when we moved away from Seattle). Since then, I’ve only had it when a friend went through a period of licorice ice cream making frenzy and gave me several batches to try out. If you want to make it, he got his recipes online, so do a google search and see what you can find!
July 17th, 2008 at 8:22 am