What Is the Best Licorice? Top Brands Ranked and Reviewed

The best licorice overall is Darrell Lea Soft Australian Licorice, prized for its authentic licorice extract with anise seed oil, a soft chewy bite, and a recipe free of palm oil and high fructose corn syrup. No single brand suits every shopper, though. Wiley Wallaby Classic Black Licorice leads the black licorice category, Twizzlers Strawberry Twists tops the red licorice list, Panda All Natural Soft Licorice wins on short ingredient lists, and Licorice.com carries the widest range of imported and specialty flavors.

What Is the Best Licorice Overall

Darrell Lea earns the best overall label across multiple independent reviews because of its ingredient quality and texture, not just its taste. The Australian brand uses authentic licorice extract and real anise seed oil rather than artificial flavoring, and its soft eating recipe stays chewy without turning stiff or sticky. It skips palm oil and high fructose corn syrup, two ingredients that show up in many competing brands, and it offers sugar-free versions for shoppers who want the flavor without the added sugar.

Reviewers rank four other brands just behind Darrell Lea, each strongest in a different category. Wiley Wallaby Classic Black Licorice scores 9.7 out of 10 in expert testing and uses plant-based ingredients with less sugar than most competitors. Panda All Natural Soft Licorice sticks to four ingredients and carries Non-GMO Project verification. Twizzlers Strawberry Twists remains the most recognized name in red licorice, and Licorice.com sources more than 50 varieties from Finland, Australia, Italy, and the Netherlands for shoppers who want to taste licorice styles that American grocery stores rarely stock. For additional choices, browse Darrell Lea licorice on Amazon to compare options online.

These rankings come from expert testing and consumer review roundups published in 2026, not from a single site’s opinion. FoodsGuy tests recipes and packaging across eight brands, OneClearWinner scores black licorice products numerically out of 10, and Timbo’s Food Box focuses specifically on imported and specialty options. Combining the three sources produces a more reliable picture than any single review alone, and all three name Darrell Lea, Wiley Wallaby, and Panda among the strongest brands on the market.

Since 2016, I have kept a Google Sheets ‘fee sheet,’ with one row per figure and the date I read it, which is a needlessly formal system for a person who can still lose a grocery list. That habit makes Wiley Wallaby’s published 9.7 score a useful category-specific check, while the overall conclusion in this section rests on more than one number.

How Do the Top Licorice Brands Compare

The top eight licorice brands differ mainly in ingredient style and target category, as this comparison shows.

Brand	Category	Key Features	Rating
Darrell Lea	Best Overall	Authentic licorice extract, soft and chewy, no palm oil, no high fructose corn syrup, GMO free	Best Overall
Wiley Wallaby	Black Licorice	Plant-based ingredients, less sugar than competitors, soft and chewy texture	9.7/10
Twizzlers Strawberry Twists	Red Licorice	Classic strawberry flavor, sold in bulk packaging	Not rated
Panda All Natural	Natural	Four natural ingredients, vegan, fat free, Non-GMO Project verified	9.2/10
Red Vines	Classic Black	True black licorice with authentic extract	Not rated
RJ’s Raspberry Chocolate Twists	Premium	Chocolate coated, imported	Not rated
Fazer Super Salmiakki	Salty Licorice	Finnish, menthol enhanced, real licorice extract	Not rated
Licorice.com	Variety and Premium	Over 50 international varieties	Balanced Quality

Three patterns stand out in this lineup. Darrell Lea and Panda both avoid palm oil and rely on short, recognizable ingredient lists, while Wiley Wallaby and Panda each carry independent verification, plant-based sourcing for Wiley Wallaby and Non-GMO Project status for Panda. Licorice.com sits apart from the rest because it sells other brands’ products rather than making its own, which gives it the widest selection on this list but no single house recipe to score.

What Are the Different Types of Licorice

Licorice comes in four main types: black, red, salted, and sour, and they differ mainly in what gives them their flavor. Black licorice can contain real licorice-root extract, while salted licorice uses the same basic ingredients as sweet licorice with ammonium chloride added. Red and sour varieties generally do not use traditional licorice-root flavoring.

Black Licorice

In the United States and Canada, black licorice can refer to any black or dark, anise-flavored candy. Traditional recipes use glycyrrhizin, the compound responsible for licorice root’s sweetness, while American black licorice is often flavored with anise extract rather than licorice root. Sugar, binders such as starch or flour, and sometimes molasses or beeswax can round out a typical recipe.

Red Licorice

Red licorice generally contains no licorice root or anise flavoring, despite sharing a name and a similar chewy-candy process with its black counterpart. Strawberry is a common flavor, while cherry, raspberry, and cinnamon versions also appear. Production follows a similar process to black licorice, which is why the two are grouped together despite their different flavor profiles.

Salted Licorice

Salted licorice, also known as salmiakki in Finland, adds ammonium chloride, also called sal ammoniac, for a salty bite. The concentration can reach 8 percent depending on the brand and country of origin. Fazer Super Salmiakki, a Finnish option, comes as round hard pastilles with real licorice extract, menthol, and added salmiak flavor.

Sour Licorice

Sour licorice was first produced in the 1990s and delivers a tart flavor without licorice root or anise. Corn syrup is often used alongside or instead of sugar, and sour licorice is usually less sweet than red licorice. Its flavor profile differs from traditional licorice despite its place in the broader licorice-candy category.

Which Licorice Brand Wins Each Category

Six brands stand out for specific needs, from natural ingredients to imported variety, and each earns its category by a different measure than Darrell Lea’s all-around win.

Best for Natural Ingredients: Panda All Natural

Panda All Natural Soft Licorice wins the natural ingredients category with a recipe of just four items: molasses, wheat flour, aniseed oil, and licorice extract. It carries Non-GMO Project verification, contains no fat, and is naturally vegan. The candy also packs a comparatively high protein content for a sugar candy, and it comes in resealable zip-top packaging that keeps it fresh after opening. An 8-pack option adds a 17 percent discount over buying single packs, making it one of the more economical choices on this list.

Best Red Licorice: Twizzlers Strawberry Twists

Twizzlers Strawberry Twists earns the best red licorice title mainly on recognition and availability. The strawberry-flavored twists are sold in bulk packaging, which suits parties, movie nights, and stocking a pantry rather than a single treat purchase.

Best Classic Black Licorice: Red Vines

Red Vines Black Licorice Twists take the classic category with a recipe built around authentic licorice extract, corn syrup, wheat flour, and molasses. The result reads as true black licorice rather than a red licorice recolored to look traditional.

Best Salty Licorice: Fazer Super Salmiakki

Fazer Super Salmiakki is the pick for anyone chasing the Nordic salty licorice experience. Its Finnish hard pastilles combine real licorice extract with menthol, producing a flavor sharper and saltier than anything typically found in a mainstream American candy aisle.

Best Chocolate-Covered Licorice: RJ’s Raspberry Chocolate Twists

RJ’s Raspberry Chocolate Twists pair raspberry licorice with a chocolate coating and are imported, positioning the brand as a gift option rather than an everyday snack. A chocolate layer sets it apart from every other brand on this list, none of which combine licorice with chocolate.

Best Variety Pack: Snackathon Allsorts

Snackathon Allsorts Licorice Candy wins the variety pack category with a mix of chewy, layered pieces coated in coconut. Its 7-ounce resealable bag is built for nostalgia shoppers who grew up on classic licorice allsorts and want the format to stay fresh between servings.

What Makes Darrell Lea the Top-Rated Licorice Brand

Darrell Lea earns its reputation from a century of licorice making and a recipe the company has steadily simplified rather than loaded with additives. The company began crafting licorice in 1927, when it invented soft-eating licorice in a small factory beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge. That soft-eating style, chewier than traditional hard licorice, remains the brand’s signature almost a full century later.

The company is now 100 percent palm oil free across its entire range, having swapped in sunflower oil instead. Its original black licorice recipe lists wheat glucose syrup, wheat flour, treacle, molasses, sugar, water, wheat fiber, sunflower oil, caramel color, licorice extract, anise seed oil, salt, mono- and diglycerides, and carnauba wax, with licorice extract making up about 0.5 percent of the total. A short list of recognizable ingredients is a large part of why reviewers rank the brand above competitors that lean on artificial flavoring.

Wiley Wallaby’s Texture and Flavor Range

Wiley Wallaby stands apart on texture and variety rather than history. Customers consistently describe the licorice as creamy with no artificial aftertaste, and the chew is soft without turning sticky in the package. Flavors range from the traditional Red, Black, and Green Apple through more adventurous options like Blueberry Pomegranate and Huckleberry. The company has been family-owned since 1984 and built its reputation on natural, high-quality ingredients rather than chasing every new flavor trend.

Where to Buy Premium and Imported Licorice

Licorice.com is the best source for imported and specialty licorice, carrying more than 50 varieties sourced from Finland, Australia, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Reviewers describe the site’s products as fresher and more flavorful than standard grocery store alternatives, with soft textures and bold flavors across the catalog. Standout products include the Australian Red Mini, a soft strawberry-flavored piece, and the Australian Black Mini, which carries a bold flavor with a root beer undertone.

The Finnish Red Mini offers a more balanced, mildly sweet take, while Sarah’s Favorite Mix blends sweet and tangy pieces and the Crunchies Mini adds a satisfying crunch to the lineup. Shoppers who have already tried the major grocery store brands and want to explore Nordic or Australian styles are the best fit for this retailer.

Many specialty shops and online retailers stock imported and premium options, but availability can vary by region. Exploring a wide selection of licorice online makes it easier to compare different types and discover new favorites from around the world.

Is Black Licorice Safe to Eat

Black licorice is safe in normal snacking amounts for most healthy adults, but eating large quantities regularly can cause real health problems. The concern centers on glycyrrhizin, the compound that gives traditional black licorice its distinctive flavor.

How Much Black Licorice Is Too Much

Eating black licorice in large amounts can lower the body’s potassium levels significantly. Potassium plays an important role in heart health, and a drop in potassium can lead to abnormal heart rhythms and, in serious cases, congestive heart failure.

Too much black licorice can also raise blood pressure at the same time it lowers potassium, a combination that raises the risk of an irregular heartbeat. Anyone managing high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney problems should check with a doctor before making black licorice a regular habit, and the same caution applies to anyone on a restricted diet after a recent surgery.

Is Red Licorice a Safer Choice

Red licorice is the safer choice for anyone worried about the cardiovascular risks tied to black licorice, since it contains no actual licorice root or glycyrrhizin. That makes it free of the specific potassium and blood pressure concerns linked to black licorice consumption. Neither color offers any real nutritional value, though. Both are sources of empty calories and belong in the occasional treat category rather than a daily snack, regardless of color.

This guide does not compare current prices, because pack sizes and retailers can change the value quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Brand Makes the Best Black Licorice?

Wiley Wallaby Classic Black Licorice is the top-rated black licorice brand, scoring 9.7 out of 10 in expert reviews. It uses plant-based ingredients, contains less sugar than many competitors, and comes in a resealable bag that keeps the candy fresh after opening.

Is Red Licorice Healthier than Black Licorice?

Red licorice avoids the cardiovascular risks tied to black licorice because it contains no glycyrrhizin, so it does carry one health advantage. It is not a healthier snack overall, since it offers no vitamins or minerals and delivers calories from sugar with little else. Treat either color as an occasional candy rather than a health food.

Does Twizzlers Count as Real Licorice?

Twizzlers Strawberry Twists are grouped with licorice because they share its chewy texture and manufacturing process, not because they contain licorice root or anise. Fruit flavoring supplies the strawberry taste rather than any licorice ingredient, which puts Twizzlers firmly in the red licorice category alongside other fruit-flavored twists.

What Does Salted Licorice Taste Like?

Salted licorice tastes like traditional black licorice with a sharp, salty edge layered on top from ammonium chloride, also known as sal ammoniac. Salt concentrations run as high as 8 percent depending on the brand, which explains why the flavor catches many first-time American tasters off guard. Fazer Super Salmiakki, a Finnish brand, is a widely cited example of the style.

Where Can You Buy Licorice from Australia or Finland?

Licorice.com carries imported licorice from Australia, Finland, Italy, and the Netherlands, including more than 50 varieties in one catalog. Darrell Lea, the Australian brand ranked best overall in this guide, also sells directly through its own USA site for shoppers who want its soft-eating licorice without hunting through a specialty retailer.

Darrell Lea remains the safest starting point for anyone trying licorice for the first time, since its soft texture and recognizable ingredients appeal to the widest range of tastes. Shoppers chasing a specific style, whether that is Wiley Wallaby’s black licorice, Twizzlers’ red twists, or Licorice.com’s imported catalog, now have a clear place to start instead of guessing from a crowded candy aisle.

References

• 8 Best Licorice Brands In 2026, FoodsGuy
• Licorice.com 2026: Honest Review and Taste Test, Timbo’s Food Box
• Our 10 Best Best Black Licorice for 2026 (US), OneClearWinner
• Darrell Lea – World’s Best Licorice and Chocolates, Darrell Lea USA
• Learn About the Different Types of Licorice, Licorice.com

Sources read in September 2026.