# Black licorice **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480 "2012-03-01T19:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/21 "2012-03-02T00:38:27Z")
We buy bags of just the black jelly beans. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/22 "2012-03-02T00:53:12Z")
The regular kind, meh. The salty Scandinavian kind (made with ammonium chloride, not sodium chloride) is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/23 "2012-03-02T01:09:59Z")
Love it. I live in the home of [Liquorice Allsorts](http://hornseasweets.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/liquorice-allsorts.jpg) but liquorice toffee is the best. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/24 "2012-03-02T01:51:29Z")
It’s not my favorite flavor but I am the designated licorice jelly bean eater 'round here. And I am grumpy enough be bothered by people asking “do you like BLACK licorice.” Considering it gets its name and flavor from the plant, it shouldn’t be qualified by a color. The other red stuff is good but an imposter. I will try salmiak some day but can’t promise I’d like it. All I’ve had is a tin of Swedish Snus that was licorice flavored, and from what I can discern on the ingredients label contained both plain and ammonium’d licorice. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/25 "2012-03-02T02:33:40Z")
Licorice is the shiznit. Every month or two I pick up a couple packages of licorice at World Market. I’ve gotten the soft Finnish salty licorice there and loved it. Oddly enough, I absolutely hated Vicks 44 cough syrup, which used to be licorice flavor. I also hate Jagermeister because it tastes just like Vicks 44. However, I do love ouzo and absinthe, which are both somewhat licorice flavored. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/26 "2012-03-02T02:55:48Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > You can get bags of just black jelly beans, as they are quite the specialised favourite. Where where where?!? My physician/chiropracter/astrologer/faith healer tells me that I need to be putting more refined sugar into my body. I’d melt down and shoot up Peeps, but they still taste revolting. Do I need to get a prescription for black jelly beans, or do you “know a guy”? ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/27 "2012-03-02T02:57:58Z")
Black licorice is the official candy\* of Hell. - The official drink is soured milk. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/28 "2012-03-02T02:59:52Z")
My hatred for the flavour is the only reason I cannot truly enjoy absinthe… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/29 "2012-03-02T03:03:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Scandinavian salty black licorice: Yuck(-ish). Someone left a box of those in a breakroom. I tried one and it was disgusting. I went back a little later to make sure they were disgusting. Yep. Horrible. In the interest of scientific method, I kept going back every ten miniutes to test my hypothesis. But by noon, I ran out of test subjects. Is there anyone here who lives in Scandanavia who can send me a case of more test subjects? It’s for science! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/30 "2012-03-02T03:05:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Someone left a box of those in a breakroom. I tried one and it was disgusting. I went back a little later to make sure they were disgusting. Yep. Horrible. In the interest of scientific method, I kept going back every ten miniutes to test my hypothesis. But by noon, I ran out of test subjects. > > Is there anyone here who lives in Scandanavia who can send me a case of more test subjects? It’s for science! If you have a Cost Plus World Market around where you live, they sell them there. They used to be available at Ikea, too, but I haven’t seen them there the last few times I’ve been. Also, I have occasionally seen them at Meijer, if that chain exists in your neck of the woods. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/31 "2012-03-02T03:20:43Z")
> [@gurujulp](#): > > My hatred for the flavour is the only reason I cannot truly enjoy absinthe… ☹ You’re in luck then, because it is flavored with anise and fennel, but not licorice as far as I know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/32 "2012-03-02T03:29:46Z")
love it! ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/33 "2012-03-02T03:35:15Z")
Love it – but I’d never heard of the salty kind. I’ve only had the regular sweet kind. Maybe a trip to cost plus is in the cards… ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/34 "2012-03-02T03:42:58Z")
Order them online if you cannot find the salty ones elsewhere. Or buy them at Schipol airport when passing through. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/35 "2012-03-02T03:46:40Z")
I like licorice every once in awhile. I’m more likely to buy Good & Plenty, the red & white sugar coated candy. Licorice ribbons are good too. I don’t like the Licorice strings, because they don’t have much taste. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/36 "2012-03-02T03:54:41Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Do I need to get a prescription for black jelly beans, or do you “know a guy”? I’d stay away from dark alleys. As far as I can tell, they’re available [all over](http://bit.ly/ybsiFF). Branded or pick-and-mix. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/37 "2012-03-02T04:04:52Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Love it – but I’d never heard of the salty kind. I’ve only had the regular sweet kind. Maybe a trip to cost plus is in the cards… They have a bunch of different varieties, from soft & chewy to hard, from not salty to very salty, so read the labels. The key word you are looking for is “salmiac/salmiak,” “sal ammoniac” or “ammonium chloride” in the ingredients list. Don’t expect a typically “salty” taste. The taste of salmiac is a bit different. It still stimulates the salt receptors on your tongue, but it also has this back-of-the-throat sting to it, that sometimes makes its way a bit up the very back of your nose. I barely notice it anymore, though. [These are the ones I’m eating right now](http://www.amazon.com/Gustafs-Dutch-Licorice-Coins-5-2-Ounce/dp/B000ETZU34), and I got them as Cost Plus. That’s a middle-of-the-road variety, and should be a good entry point for salty licorice. Those are firm “coins” of licorice, with the consistency of something like Slo-Pokes caramel candies. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/38 "2012-03-02T04:24:09Z")
Callard & Bowser made a great liquorice toffee. Of course, as soon as I discovered it they quit making it soon afterwards. Love to find a source for liquorice toffee if anyone has one. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/39 "2012-03-02T05:00:16Z")
Love it, many many years ago I could buy a candy bar of it for a nickle, guess no one else did for they are long gone. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480/40 "2012-03-02T05:04:25Z")
It is my number one favorite candy, I love the long strands, and the licorice herb is good for stomach problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-licorice/614480.md?page=3)