Top of the Lot

Almost all of the liqs I've ordered contain some liquorice powder—not ammonium chloride or sweetwood extracts but the actual magical combination of both. However, in most of them, it is watered down or cut with extra sugar or gum.

For the real thing—or at least as strong as I reckon it is legal to sell (to children)—you need to turn to the powder itself.

Coloured beige-brown by the addition of dextrose and starch, it looks innocent enough in its tin, despite the turbaned figure on the lid sticking out his tongue at you. I wonder what the story behind that is. All the online references to Zwart Wit Zout I can find are, unsurprisingly, in Dutch.

Once opened, ambient humidity will turn the stuff a sticky dark brown in a matter of days.

Dip in a finger and lick some of it. It will actually feel cool on your tongue. It almost seems to prickle. You won't as much taste this stuff as breathe in the fumes, which are somewhat reminiscent of the sharp smell of horse manure

For the dedicated lover of strong liquorice, there's nothig better.


10/10