Liquorice, Fruit Twists and What's in a Name
A red twist and a black liquorice wheel look like close relatives. Both can be chewy, glossy and very good at getting tangled in a bag. Bite into them, though, and the family resemblance gets less useful.
One might taste fruity. The other has that unmistakable dark, aromatic liquorice flavour. The word on the front of the packet does not always explain the difference. The easiest way to choose is to look at the named flavour, the ingredients and the shape separately.
Start with the flavour
Traditional liquorice flavour comes from liquorice root. HARIBO describes drying, grating and boiling the roots to make the extract it uses in its liquorice sweets. That extract is a flavour ingredient, rather than a description of the candy's shape. HARIBO explains its process here.
Fruit twists are a different proposition. Hershey explains that its popular strawberry and cherry TWIZZLERS varieties do not contain liquorice extract, even though people often call them liquorice. The name can describe a familiar style of chewy candy rather than the root flavour itself. Read Hershey's explanation.
Shape tells another part of the story
A hollow twist, a short bite and a thin wheel offer different ways to meet a flavour. The shape is worth noticing, but it does not settle which ingredients are inside.
Hershey describes forming TWIZZLERS Twists by pushing the mixture through rotating nozzles to create their twist and hollow centre. It is a useful example of the shape being deliberately built into the candy. It does not mean every liquorice-style sweet is made the same way. More about the twist.
Think about whether you prefer a long hollow piece, a compact bite or something you can unwind. That is a separate preference from strawberry versus black liquorice.
Read past the big name
Check the full product name and ingredient list on the packet you are buying. A familiar logo is helpful, but the flavour and format beside it are doing important work. Filled pieces, twists and bites each deserve their own look.
If you are choosing for someone else, ask which flavour they mean. 'The strawberry twists' is a much clearer shopping instruction than 'the red liquorice'. Keep packets available when sharing so everyone can read the ingredient and allergen information.
You will see both liquorice and licorice on packaging. The more useful distinction is what the candy actually tastes like. Start there, then choose your preferred shape.
Browse the Snack Shack shop for the current selection.
General information about ingredients and formats. Recipes change; check the label on the product you buy.
