Licorice is a flavorful herb that has been used for thousands of years. In fact, evidence of licorice dates as far back as 2737 BC when references to its use were found in the Chinese book Shen nung Pen Tsao Ching. The licorice plant, a legume belonging to the pea or bean family has the botanical name Glycyrrhiza, which comes from the Greek word meaning “sweet root”—an appropriate name as the plant contains a compound roughly 50 times sweeter than sugar!


One of the first cultures to appreciate the many benefits of licorice was the Egyptians. A large amount of licorice root was discovered by archaeologists in the three thousand year old tomb of King Tutankhamen. The Egyptians believed that the departed could use the root in the afterlife to make a licorice-flavored beverage called “mai sus”—a drink many still enjoy today.


The Greek and Roman cultures also utilized licorice.  Theophrastus, the Father of Botany, endorsed licorice root in his book “Inquiry into Plants,” stating, “It has the property of quenching thirst if one holds it in the mouth: wherefore they say that the Scythians, with this and mare’s milk cheese, can go for eleven or twelve days without drinking.” Grecians such as Alexander the Great and later the Romans provided their armies with licorice to quench the marching soldiers’ thirst.


Europeans got their first taste of licorice during the 1500s, when crusaders returned to British shores from the Middle East and introduced the sweet treat to England. Roman Catholic Monks continued the traditional use of licorice for generations, and its popularity eventually spread across Europe during the Renaissance. One particular 16th Century monastery in Pontefract, England became the center of such tradition. There, monks crafted licorice discs known as “Pontefract cakes,” and supplied licorice to early settlers who colonized America.


Historically, licorice has been consumed by numerous civilizations throughout time. Warriors, pharaohs, wise men, and prophets valued its beneficial properties and delighted in its taste. Licorice traveled from its humble origins in Asia to the shores of the Mediterranean, through Europe and eventually voyaged to the Americas. Grown mostly in Asia Minor and Spain, licorice root is used on every continent throughout the world today, in countless products including tea, liquor and beer, savory food spices, and of course, candy!

YOUNG & SMYLIE is proud to carry on the rich tradition of licorice root with the newest member of our confectionary family: YOUNG & SMYLIE premium licorice. Each flavorful bite is infused with real licorice root extract for an authentic taste experience! Go ahead, indulge…and enjoy the tradition!