This is a thin shelf, and we'll say so: most 'licorice' at the store is fruit-flavored wheat paste with no actual licorice root in it, and the real-licorice world is small. The makers here go two honest directions — genuinely soft, fresh American licorice, and pure Italian-style licorice-root extract for the black-licorice devoted. Few makers, but real ones.
Published July 2026 · Updated 7 Jul 2026
An Iowa maker who built a following on one thing: licorice that's actually soft and fresh, in red and black plus flavors like blue raspberry and cinnamon. Small-batch and shipped quickly so it arrives pliable, not stiff. The go-to when you want soft-eating licorice by mail.
Why it isn't on AmazonLicorice goes hard as it ages, so freshness is the whole game — a small batch shipped direct arrives soft in a way a mass-market bag on a warm shelf never will.
See it at The Licorice Guy →For actual licorice flavor: ZOT is pure licorice-root juice slowly concentrated into small hard bits, using a traditional Italian extraction that dates to the late 1800s — no sugar, no added flavoring, nothing but the root. Intense, savory-sweet, and closer to the Mediterranean pure-licorice tradition than anything on a candy shelf. Not for everyone; the black-licorice faithful love it.
Why it isn't on AmazonTrue licorice-root extract with no sugar or fillers is a niche the mass brands abandoned decades ago — it's a specialty import-style product you seek out on purpose.
See it at ZOT Organic →This seat's open on purpose — we won't pad the list to hit a number. If you ship real licorice direct, it's earned, not sold.
Add your brand →No. Red licorice (and a lot of black, too) is a chewy candy made from wheat flour or cornstarch, sugar, and flavoring, with no licorice root at all. Real licorice flavor comes from the root of the licorice plant, which is naturally sweet and a little savory. If you want the actual taste, look for products that list licorice extract or root.
Black licorice is flavored with real licorice root (and often anise), which has a distinctive sweet-bitter, herbal taste some people love and others can't stand. Red 'licorice' is just fruit-flavored chewy candy shaped like licorice, so it has none of that flavor. They're two different things sharing a name.
Real licorice root contains glycyrrhizin, which in large, regular amounts can affect blood pressure and potassium levels — so it's worth moderation, especially for older adults or anyone with heart or blood-pressure issues. Occasional eating is fine for most people. Fruit-flavored red licorice doesn't have this concern because it contains no actual licorice.
Air is the enemy — licorice dries out and stiffens once the bag is open. Keep it sealed in an airtight container or zip bag, and a slice of bread or a marshmallow tossed in can help hold moisture. Buying fresh from a maker who ships quickly is the best head start.
Make or grow real licorice and think you belong here? Tell us → — features are on merit, never for sale.
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© 2026 5best2buy · Worth The Hunt · No.331