Swedish Licorice vs Dutch Licorice
Sweden and the Netherlands are both licorice powerhouses, but they do it differently. Here is how Swedish salmiak compares to Dutch drop.
Swedish licorice leans into salmiak, salty licorice flavored with ammonium chloride, often soft and chewy. Dutch licorice, called drop, spans a huge range from sweet to double-salt and from soft to hard. Both cultures love salty licorice, but the Dutch have more variety while Sweden is known for bold salmiak classics.
Swedish licorice: salmiak first
Sweden's licorice identity is salmiak, from soft cats to the extreme Djungelvral. It is salty, chewy, and proudly intense.
Dutch licorice: drop in every form
The Netherlands eats more licorice per person than almost anyone, in dozens of shapes and salt levels (drop). It overlaps with salmiak but goes wider on texture and sweetness.
Which should you try?
If you like a clear salty hit, start Swedish with salty licorice cats. If you want range, Dutch drop has a shape for every mood. Many pick-and-mix walls carry both, so you can compare side by side.
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Gustav Lindqvist · Candy Master
Gustav grew up in Sweden on a strict Saturday-candy schedule, mixing his lördagsgodis bag at the lösgodis wall before he could spell salmiak. He has spent years tasting his way across Scandinavian candy, and now curates the range at TheSweetsTruck, from BUBS sour skulls to the saltiest licorice most people cannot finish.
Last updated 6/19/2026