I am totally addicted to liquorice allsorts. With so many available I am trying to find the best brand / own brand.

So far value for money has to go to Asda smart price which come it at about 38p a bag. Although they taste just as good as bassetts they lack the variety and have lot of liquorice pieces in.

I have also discounted Woolworths and Waitrose for being too sweet.

Has anyone got a favourite brand and why. My wife already thinks I am bonkers for doing a blind taste test between Asda smart price and bassetts so I fear if I buy all the other available brands she will have me put away.

Is it just me or do others love these sweets.

Aaarrghghhghhhhh! I hate liqourice allsorts ever since someone told me liquorice would induce labour. I ate 2 big packets which didn't bring on labour, just gave me the runs (very unpleasant given my 40wk pregnant state:()

Can't touch them now.

Sorry Matthew - love liquorice (real addict with no toilet problems I'm pleased to say Jen) but I hate liquorice allsorts. They spoil the liquorice.

Matthew - I just love liquorice allsorts. Bassetts are definitely the best, but Marks and Sparks are also nice.
Have you ever tried the Australian soft eating Liquorice from Lakeland. Lovely.
I knit dolls and in one of my books there is a pattern - nearly said recipe - for Liquorice Allsorts. Maybe I should make some and you can let me know if they taste just as good as all the others you have tried.........

I've tried the liquorice from Lakeland Livewire but didn't like it. Also my husband brought me some back from Norway once, Panda was the make, and I didn't like that either. The Lakeland one tasted just like it. I love the hard liquorice as well that we used to get as a kid but although Bassets still make it it's a lot softer than it was. Lovely though.

I can't go near the stuff - ever since my dad joked that Liquorice Allsorts had an aphrodisiac effect on him. Eeeeugh!!!!

I love liquorice allsorts my favourites are the coconut ones I definately think Bassetts are best, but the best way of eating liquorice has to be pontefract cakes if I open a packet thats it - gone. I also remember as a kid getting liquorice smokers outfits for Christmas with liqorice pipes and sugar cigarettes. It seems bizarre these days but it was 50 years ago. Also we used to call it spanish and I remember sherbet fountains with liquorice dips. I think they were all made by Bassetts in Pontefract and the whole area smelled of liquorice.

pah, errghh arhhh gurghhh oooh, disgusting stuff
cant stand the look of it the taste of it or the smell.
Dont know why, just never took to it and those blue covered things urgggh dont eat blue food.
Purple, or lilac but not bright sky blue. not normal.

Liquorice is evil nasty stuff - I have never been able to eat it!!

Well it's obvious from this thread that liquorice is either loved or hated. I remember the smokers outfit jax - lovely, and yes we did call it Spanish.

Garry Rhodes liquorice ripple ice cream recipe is delicious - anyone else tried it?

I was not aware that there was so much strong feeling towards liquorice. I wonder if there would be the same level of feeling if Marmite where to be discussed and what the best own brand is.

On the liquorice side. I have added Tesco's own as a brand to avoid. Very poor texture and very sweet to the extend of being sickly. So far my money is on Asda Value Allsorts for quality.

Next ones for me to try on the quest for the best allsort is Asda standard, M&S, Morrisons and then Sainsburys.

Maybe I will publish the results on a web site.

Licorice hard sticks by Bassets!!! Best licorice ever ... real licorice sticks from health food shops too strong & Yuk!!

Got to be Bertie Bassets!! Way the best. LOVE Pontefract cakes, but I haven't seen them for years.Who sells them? Loved Bootlaces the Red and the Black. Went to a Food Fair a while back and there was a whole stall selling Real Liquorice OOOH Lovely my husband and I bought a bag full, all different flavours but the peppermint was the best.