Victory V Lozenges have been sold in the same small tins, with the same hot-then-cold blackcurrant and menthol hit, for well over a century - making them one of the oldest sweet brands still on British shelves.
A Victorian medicine that became a sweet-shop staple
Victory V Lozenges started life not as a sweet but as a throat remedy, sold through chemists in the Victorian era as "medicated confectionery". Lancashire was the heartland of the British lozenge trade in the 19th century, and Victory V followed the same pattern as its rivals: a small, hard, diamond-shaped tablet designed to dissolve slowly and coat the throat, sold in flat tins that could be carried in a coat pocket.
The original recipe was genuinely medicinal
- Tincture of opium — used in tiny, regulated doses as a cough suppressant, entirely legal and common in Victorian pharmacy.
- Chloroform — added in trace amounts for its numbing, soothing effect on the throat.
- Regulation changed everything — the Poisons and Pharmacy Act 1908 and later 20th-century medicines regulation forced lozenge makers to remove controlled ingredients, and Victory V was reformulated to rely on its flavouring alone rather than active drugs.
What actually gives Victory V its kick today
The modern lozenge is entirely food-safe, but it keeps the layered flavour that made the original famous: blackcurrant and liquorice up front, a cooling wave of menthol close behind, and a faint peppery warmth on the finish that's often described as the lozenge's "hot-cold" effect. It's a flavour profile that doesn't really have a modern equivalent, which is part of why the brand has held onto a loyal, mostly older following for generations.
If you like your sweets with a bit of history behind them, Victory V sits alongside other retro sweets that have barely changed their recipe in decades.
Frequently asked questions
What are Victory V Lozenges?
Victory V Lozenges are a British medicated sweet combining blackcurrant, liquorice and menthol flavours with a warming, peppery finish, traditionally sold in small tins as a throat and chest soother.
What did the original Victory V recipe contain?
The Victorian-era recipe included small medicinal amounts of ingredients such as tincture of opium and chloroform, both legal and common in throat remedies of the period, before regulation removed them from the formula in the early 20th century.
Are Victory V Lozenges still made today?
Yes, Victory V Lozenges are still manufactured in the UK using a modern, fully regulated recipe that keeps the distinctive blackcurrant, liquorice and menthol flavour without any of the original medicinal ingredients.