Guide · Swedish Candy Culture
Salty Swedish Licorice (Salt Lakrits)
The most misunderstood flavor in Scandinavian candy — what salmiak actually is, why Swedes love it, and where to start if you've never had it.
What is salt lakrits?
Salt lakrits — salty licorice — is licorice candy made with ammonium chloride (salmiak) instead of, or in addition to, regular table salt. That single ingredient changes everything: instead of the sweet, anise-forward black licorice most Americans know, salt lakrits hits with a sharp, briny, almost tingly flavor that lingers on the tongue.
It's not a niche flavor in Sweden. Salty licorice is stocked next to gummies and chocolate in every grocery store, and it shows up in everything from hard candies to ice cream to cocktails.
Why Swedes grow up loving it
Salmiak is introduced early. Kids fill Saturday lördagsgodis bags with salty licorice fish and skulls the same way American kids pick sour worms. By adulthood, the flavor reads as comforting and nostalgic — not challenging.
The intensity varies. Mild salt lakrits is a gentle salty-sweet entry point. Extra salt and dubbelsaltad (double-salted) push the salmiak hard enough that first-timers usually hand the bag back.
Best salty Swedish licorice brands to try
A few names come up again and again when Swedes talk about salt lakrits:
- Malaco — the household name. Salta Katten (the salty cat) is the classic starting point: soft, chewy, medium-salt.
- Bubs — the sour skulls layer salty licorice with raspberry and sour foam. A great gateway if you already like sour candy.
- Lakrids by Bülow — Danish, but beloved in Sweden. Chocolate-coated licorice pearls that make salmiak feel dessert-fancy.
- Kolsvart — modern craft brand doing salty licorice fish in bold flavor pairings like passionfruit and rhubarb.
How to actually taste it the first time
Start mild. A single piece of Malaco Salta Katten or a Bubs skull is a fair first impression. Let it sit on your tongue for a beat before chewing — the salmiak blooms slowly, and rushing it makes the salt hit harder than it should.
If it's not for you, that's fair. If it is, welcome — you're about to have opinions about licorice for the rest of your life.
Where to buy salty Swedish licorice in the US
Salty licorice is almost impossible to find in American grocery stores. To try the real thing, order from a Swedish candy importer or watch for a Drop featuring salt lakrits picks.
Browse licorice and other Swedish favorites at swedishcandyculture.com, or check the current Drop for a curated pick.