Liquorice Allsorts are not just sweets. They are edible confetti with a Victorian accent. Open a bag and you unleash a tumble of stripes, layers, pastels, coconut snowcaps and bold black spirals. Every handful feels like rummaging through a treasure chest that smells faintly of aniseed and nostalgia.
If you are searching for the ultimate guide to Liquorice Allsorts, from their fascinating history to what exactly goes into a bag, settle in. We are about to take a grand tour of Britain’s most gloriously chaotic confection.
What Are Liquorice Allsorts?
Liquorice Allsorts are a traditional British sweet made primarily from liquorice, sugar, coconut, fondant and fruit flavourings. They are known for their mix of shapes, colours and textures, all sharing that distinctive liquorice note.
The most famous producer is Bassett's, now part of Mondelez International, though other sweet manufacturers have created their own versions over the years.
What’s Inside a Bag of Liquorice Allsorts?
Open a standard bag and you will find a joyful jumble of textures and designs. While the exact mix can vary slightly by brand, here is what you can typically expect:
1. Coconut Wheels
These are small, round pieces edged in desiccated coconut, usually wrapped around a firm black liquorice centre. They look like sugary life preservers tossed overboard by a pirate confectioner.
2. Layered Sandwiches
Perhaps the most iconic Allsort. These feature alternating layers of:
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Black liquorice
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Pink, yellow, green or blue fondant
They are cut into neat blocks, forming little striped towers of sweetness and chew.
3. Liquorice Rolls
Tightly rolled spirals of black liquorice wrapped in colourful fondant. Slice them open and you see a hypnotic swirl pattern that looks like a candy fingerprint.
4. Jelly Buttons
Soft, fruit-flavoured jelly discs often topped with small liquorice dots. These add a slightly softer texture to the otherwise chewy mix.
5. Bobbly Coconut Squares
Chunky blocks layered with liquorice and fondant, then dusted or coated with coconut. They bring texture drama to the party.
6. Plain Liquorice Pieces
Simple black liquorice rectangles or twists. No frills. Just bold, herbal sweetness with that unmistakable aniseed punch.
Ingredients at a Glance
Most Liquorice Allsorts contain:
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Sugar
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Glucose syrup
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Wheat flour
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Liquorice extract
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Desiccated coconut
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Flavourings and colourings
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Gelatine or starch (depending on recipe)
The signature flavour comes from liquorice root extract, derived from the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, which has been used for centuries in herbal remedies and sweets.
The Curious Origin of Liquorice Allsorts
The origin story of Liquorice Allsorts is deliciously accidental.
In the late 19th century, a salesman working for Bassett's was reportedly showing samples of various liquorice sweets to a client. The samples were dropped and became jumbled together. Instead of rejecting the messy mixture, the client loved the random assortment and ordered it exactly as it was.
And just like that, chaos became a category.
Whether the tale is polished marketing or pure truth, the name “Allsorts” reflects that happy jumble of different liquorice varieties thrown together in one bag.
A Brief History of Liquorice Allsorts
19th Century Beginnings
George Bassett & Co Ltd was founded in Sheffield in 1842. The company originally specialised in liquorice products and quickly became known for quality and innovation.
Liquorice Allsorts were officially launched in 1899, during the height of Britain’s industrial expansion. They offered variety at a time when most sweets were sold as single-type treats.
20th Century Popularity
Throughout the 1900s, Liquorice Allsorts became a staple of sweet shops across the UK. They were often scooped from large glass jars into paper bags, weighed out with brass scales.
In 1927, Bassett’s introduced Bertie Bassett, the company’s mascot, a cheerful figure made entirely of Liquorice Allsort shapes. Bertie became an advertising icon and helped cement Allsorts as a household name.
During the mid to late 20th century, Liquorice Allsorts were considered an “old-fashioned” sweet, associated with grandparents and corner shops. Yet their retro appeal never faded. They remained a constant in a changing confectionery world.
Modern Manufacturing
Today, Liquorice Allsorts are produced on a large industrial scale but still follow traditional recipes. Bassett’s eventually became part of larger corporate groups and is now owned by Mondelez International, which also produces brands like Cadbury.
Despite corporate evolution, the sweet itself remains delightfully unchanged in spirit.
Fun Facts About Liquorice Allsorts
Here are some chewy nuggets of trivia:
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Liquorice root has been used since ancient Egyptian times and was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
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Liquorice Allsorts were once marketed as a digestive aid due to liquorice’s traditional medicinal reputation.
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The bright pink and yellow fondant layers are often fruit-flavoured rather than liquorice-flavoured.
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Bertie Bassett has appeared in numerous advertising campaigns and even has a statue in Sheffield.
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The mix ratio in a bag is not perfectly controlled, meaning no two bags are exactly the same.
Why Liquorice Allsorts Remain a Retro Favourite
Liquorice Allsorts occupy a charming corner of the confectionery universe. They are:
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Visually distinctive
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Texturally varied
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Instantly recognisable
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Packed with nostalgic appeal
In a world of sleek chocolate bars and neon gummies, Allsorts feel like a Victorian variety show still performing to a modern audience. They are bold, slightly eccentric and unapologetically themselves.
For lovers of traditional British sweets, retro confectionery or classic liquorice treats, Liquorice Allsorts remain a timeless choice.
Final Thoughts
Liquorice Allsorts are more than a bag of sweets. They are a historical accident turned cultural icon. From their 19th century Sheffield roots with George Bassett & Co Ltd to their modern production under Mondelez International, they have survived world wars, changing tastes and supermarket revolutions.
Yet open a bag today and you will find the same joyful jumble that charmed customers over a century ago.
A colourful carnival of stripes, spirals and coconut snow. A sweet shop time machine. A retro classic that refuses to fade. 🍬