The Ingredient
Liquorice is more than sweets – it's an ingredient with thousands of years of history, from medicine to indulgence. Here, we get to the bottom of what actually makes liquorice liquorice, and why Calabria, Sweden and salmiak play the leading roles.
Liquorice is made from the root of the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant, a legume that grows in southern Europe and Central Asia. The root contains glycyrrhizin, a compound around 50 times sweeter than ordinary sugar, which gives liquorice its characteristic deep, bittersweet flavour.
To make liquorice sweets, the dried root is boiled down into a thick, dark, intensely concentrated extract. This extract forms the flavour backbone of every piece of genuine black liquorice. The quality, origin and concentration of the liquorice determine the quality of the finished product.
Die Lakritzwurzel (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Salmiak (ammonium chloride)
Ammonium chloride, salmiak, is a chemical compound consisting of the ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) and the chloride ion (Cl⁻). This white, crystalline substance has a characteristic sharp taste and a distinctive smell well known to lovers of salty liquorice.
In Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands, it's a standard ingredient in sweets. In the rest of the world, it's practically unknown.
The salmiak scale runs roughly from 1 (barely noticeable) to 5 (extreme). Haupt Lakrits offers products across the whole spectrum, from Söta Svenskjävlar! (a mild introduction) to Svenskjävlar! (the world's saltiest Swedish liquorice, for the devoted).
For anyone trying salmiak for the first time, it's the most surprising element of Swedish liquorice. Once the addiction takes hold, it's total.
Prioritises the natural sweetness of glycyrrhizin, with little or no salmiak. Accessible for beginners and those who prefer milder flavours.
Salty and Salmiak
The dominant style in Sweden. Balances liquorice's deep, earthy character with varying intensity of ammonium chloride. Quietly addictive.
The bitterness and salt in liquorice root is one of the finest complements to chocolate ever discovered. The salt-chocolate contrast surprises even seasoned chocolate lovers.
Sweden consumes close to 2 kilos of liquorice per person, per year. We've always known that "never ordinary" applies to liquorice too.
In the very southernmost part of mainland Italy lies the region of Calabria, where liquorice has been cultivated and extracted for centuries. Calabrian liquorice is considered by many to be the best in the world. Its flavour profile differs significantly from other liquorice, with a cleaner and more complex character.
Liquorice root reached Northern Europe via medieval trade routes, introduced by Arab and Dutch merchants. Scandinavia was among the first to develop large-scale liquorice sweet production, and the taste took deep root in the culture. The Nordic relationship with liquorice reflects a broader appreciation for strong, challenging flavours.
