Hand a Brit a piece of Dutch "drop" liquorice expecting a Pontefract Cake and you'll get quite a reaction — the two countries make liquorice that barely tastes like the same sweet.
A Yorkshire town built on liquorice root
Pontefract in West Yorkshire has been a hub of British liquorice production since at least the 1700s, when liquorice root was grown locally and processed into the small, round discs known as Pontefract Cakes, historically stamped with the town's own emblem. British liquorice production leaned sweet from early on, often blended with sugar, aniseed or fruit flavours rather than left to taste purely of the root.
Why Dutch "drop" tastes completely different
Cross the North Sea and liquorice takes a sharp left turn. Dutch liquorice, known as drop, is frequently salted with ammonium chloride (salmiak), a salt that gives it a savoury, almost metallic tang far removed from anything sweet. The Netherlands consumes more liquorice per person than almost anywhere else in the world, and salted drop is the default, not a novelty variant.
The Nordic love of salty liquorice
Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark share the Dutch preference for salmiak-based liquorice, often taking it further with extra-salty or extra-strong variants sold as a genuine treat rather than an oddity. It's such a defining regional flavour that Nordic salty liquorice has become its own confectionery category, distinct from both British and Dutch styles.
Love it or hate it, either way
Even within countries that love liquorice, it divides opinion — the sharp aniseed flavour and, for salted varieties, the salmiak tang mean it rarely gets a lukewarm response. Try the UK's sweeter side of the divide in our liquorice collection.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between British and Dutch liquorice?
British liquorice is typically sweet, sometimes mixed with sugar or fruit flavours, while Dutch liquorice ("drop") is often salted with ammonium chloride, giving it a sharp, savoury taste that can be a shock to anyone expecting the sweeter UK version.
Why does Dutch and Nordic liquorice taste salty?
Dutch, Scandinavian and Finnish liquorice recipes commonly include salmiak, or ammonium chloride, a salt that gives the sweet its distinctive sharp, almost chemical tang — a flavour that's an acquired taste even within the countries that love it.
What is Pontefract famous for in liquorice history?
Pontefract in Yorkshire has been a centre of British liquorice production since at least the 1700s, giving its name to Pontefract Cakes — small, round liquorice discs originally stamped with the town's coat of arms.