VELO Salty Liquorice

About VELO Salty Liquorice

VELO Salty Liquorice is a tobacco-free nicotine pouch delivering 10mg of nicotine per pouch (14.3mg/g) in VELO’s slim format. Strength classification: Strong. The product was launched in early 2025 as a redesign and renaming of VELO Lofty Liquorice — the flavour profile is identical, the new name makes the product’s character more immediately legible to international consumers. It delivers black liquorice with anise aromatics and authentic salmiak — the traditional Nordic salty liquorice flavour that has been a cornerstone of Scandinavian and Dutch confectionery culture for centuries.

VELO Salty Liquorice is the most culturally specific product in VELO’s range. It targets a flavour — salmiak liquorice — that is simultaneously one of the oldest confectionery traditions in Northern Europe and one of the least familiar to non-Nordic consumers. For Scandinavians, Dutch, Finnish, and other Northern European consumers, salty liquorice is as familiar and culturally embedded as cola or chocolate. For consumers from other markets, it is genuinely unusual — a bold, intensely flavoured, adult product that divides opinion strongly and develops devoted users in those who find it suits their palate.

Product information last reviewed: July 2026. Nicotine content verified against British American Tobacco manufacturer specifications.

The Flavour Science — Liquorice, Anise, and the Salmiak Distinction

VELO Salty Liquorice’s three-component flavour profile has a specific and well-documented chemistry. Understanding the differences between liquorice, anise, and salmiak explains why this product tastes the way it does — and why salty liquorice is a categorically different experience from sweet liquorice.

Liquorice root — glycyrrhizin: True liquorice flavour comes from the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra — the liquorice plant. The primary flavour compound is glycyrrhizin, a triterpenoid saponin that is approximately 50 times sweeter than sucrose by weight. Glycyrrhizin produces liquorice’s characteristic intensely sweet, slightly earthy, slightly bitter flavour. Research in flavour chemistry has documented glycyrrhizin as one of the most intensely flavoured natural compounds — its combination of extreme sweetness with simultaneous bitterness creates a flavour profile that is without equivalent in most other natural flavourings.

Anise — trans-anethole: Anise (Pimpinella anisum) and star anise (Illicium verum) share their primary aroma compound: trans-anethole — a phenylpropanoid that produces the characteristic sweet, slightly warm, unmistakably aniseed character. Anise and liquorice have been combined in confectionery for centuries because trans-anethole’s aromatic sweetness complements glycyrrhizin’s earthier character. Trans-anethole is present at significantly higher concentrations in star anise (80–90% of the essential oil) and contributes the aromatic lift that distinguishes anise-enhanced liquorice from plain liquorice root.

Salmiak — ammoniumklorid and the TRP channel mechanism: The “salty” in Salty Liquorice is not ordinary salt (sodium chloride). It is salmiak — ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) — a compound with a distinct, slightly pungent, intensely saline character that is fundamental to traditional Nordic and Dutch salty liquorice. The product ingredient list confirms salmiak as a named ingredient: “Water, filler (E460), flavor enhancer (table salt), flavorings, xylitol, nicotine, thickener (E401), salmiak, acidity regulator (E500)”.

Ammonium chloride’s sensory mechanism is more complex than ordinary salt. Research in sensory physiology has documented ammonium chloride as an activator of TRPA1 (transient receptor potential ankyrin 1) ion channels and TMEM16A channels in oral taste receptor cells — pathways that produce a sharp, slightly stinging quality distinct from the simple saltiness of sodium chloride. This is the mechanism behind salmiak’s characteristic “bite” — the sharp, slightly chemical saltiness that is unmistakably salmiak rather than ordinary salt.

The compound flavour of salty liquorice: The combination of glycyrrhizin’s intense sweet-bitter, trans-anethole’s aromatic anise lift, and ammonium chloride’s sharp salmiak bite creates a compound flavour profile that is more complex than any single component. Sweet, bitter, aromatic, and sharply salty simultaneously — a flavour that has no simple equivalent in non-Nordic confectionery traditions.

Per Johansson, with over 40 years of oral nicotine experience, notes: “Salty Liquorice is the product I hand to Scandinavian users who are trying nicotine pouches for the first time and ask what the most familiar-tasting option is. Salmiaklakrits is a childhood flavour for most Nordic people — the combination of anise, liquorice, and salmiak is as instantly recognisable as mint toothpaste. For non-Scandinavian users, I always warn them: this is either your new favourite product or you will never try it again. There is rarely a middle ground with salmiak.”

VELO Salty Liquorice vs VELO Lofty Liquorice

Users who purchased VELO Lofty Liquorice before early 2025 are buying the same product under a different name. VELO relaunched Lofty Liquorice as Salty Liquorice in early 2025 as part of VELO’s range naming standardisation. The “Salty” prefix now makes the salmiak character explicit rather than describing it obliquely. The flavour, nicotine content at 10mg, concentration at 14.3mg/g, and format are all unchanged.

Product Specifications

Manufacturing and Origin

VELO Salty Liquorice is manufactured by British American Tobacco — one of the world’s four largest tobacco and nicotine companies, subject to the highest levels of regulatory scrutiny globally. The nicotine is pharmaceutical-grade, extracted and purified from tobacco plants before being combined with plant-based cellulose fibre, food-grade liquorice, anise, and salmiak flavourings, and pH regulators. No tobacco leaf enters the final product at any stage of manufacturing.

The salmiak (ammonium chloride) in VELO Salty Liquorice is food-grade and the same compound used in traditional Nordic and Dutch salty liquorice confectionery globally.

VELO Salty Liquorice is part of the VELO nicotine pouches range

The Flavour Experience in the Pouch

Opening (seconds 0–90): Liquorice and anise activate together within 60–90 seconds — the sweet-bitter glycyrrhizin character and trans-anethole’s aromatic lift arrive simultaneously. Within 90 seconds the salmiak component becomes increasingly present — the TRPA1 activation producing its characteristic sharp, slightly stinging saline quality alongside the sweet-bitter liquorice base. By the 2-minute mark all three components are active and the full compound Salty Liquorice character is established.

Session (minutes 2–45): VELO Salty Liquorice is a static profile. The sweet-bitter-aromatic-salty compound sustains throughout the session. The salmiak character does not build progressively like capsaicin — it is present from activation and maintains consistently. At 10mg Strong, the nicotine plateau adds a fourth dimension of satisfaction alongside the complex liquorice flavour. Users of traditional Nordic snus who are transitioning to nicotine pouches consistently find that Salty Liquorice is the product most analogous in character to what they are used to.

VELO Salty Liquorice vs Other Products

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Dark Blackcurrant (8mg Slim): Both are sophisticated, complex, adult-oriented flavours with deep Nordic cultural roots. Dark Blackcurrant uses blackcurrant’s 4MMP character and linalool florality. Salty Liquorice uses glycyrrhizin’s sweet-bitter depth and salmiak’s sharp saltiness. Both suit users who have moved beyond simple sweet flavours and want genuine complexity. Dark Blackcurrant is darker berry; Salty Liquorice is confectionery-herbal-saline. For Nordic consumers — both are culturally authentic products.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Zesty Elderflower (10mg Slim): Both are 10mg Strong Slim products with botanical European heritage. Elderflower is floral-citrus — bright, botanical, Northern European summer. Salty Liquorice is liquorice-anise-salmiak — dark, intensely savoury, Northern European winter confectionery. Both are for users who want something genuinely distinctive rather than standard berry or mint. The flavour directions are opposite — Elderflower is light and floral; Salty Liquorice is dark and intense.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Arctic Grapefruit (10mg Slim): Both are 10mg Strong Slim products that target the same sophisticated adult palate — users who appreciate bitterness and complexity over simple sweetness. Arctic Grapefruit uses naringenin bitterness with menthol cooling. Salty Liquorice uses glycyrrhizin’s sweet-bitter with salmiak saltiness. Both are divisive products that attract devoted users. The choice is citrus-cooling complexity versus liquorice-salmiak complexity.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Purple Grape (10mg Slim): Both are 10mg Strong Slim products. Purple Grape is the most immediately sweet and accessible dark fruit in VELO’s range — methyl anthranilate-forward, universally familiar. Salty Liquorice is the most challenging and culturally specific flavour in VELO’s range — sweet-bitter-salty compound, Nordic specific. The comparison illustrates the full range of VELO’s flavour diversity at Strong nicotine. For maximum accessibility: Purple Grape. For maximum cultural specificity: Salty Liquorice.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Dark Cherry Mini (4mg Mini): Both are sophisticated dark flavour products for users who prefer complexity. Dark Cherry Mini is 4mg Mini Light — the lightest nicotine in Mini format, warm cherry-almond. Salty Liquorice is 10mg Strong Slim — significantly stronger, categorically different flavour. Both target experienced palates but at very different nicotine levels.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Green Spearmint (6mg Slim): Both are herb-forward products from Nordic botanical traditions. Green Spearmint is 6mg Regular with fresh-green carvone-dominant spearmint. Salty Liquorice is 10mg Strong with sweet-bitter glycyrrhizin liquorice. Both are more botanically authentic than standard flavoured products. Green Spearmint for lighter, fresher botanical mint; Salty Liquorice for stronger, darker, confectionery botanical depth.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Sour Lime (4mg Mini): Both are non-sweet flavour products that prioritise intensity over accessibility. Sour Lime uses citric and malic acid for assertive sourness at 4mg Mini Light. Salty Liquorice uses salmiak ammonium chloride for assertive saltiness at 10mg Strong Slim. Both suit users who want strong sensory impact rather than sweetness. Completely different flavour families and nicotine levels, but a shared philosophy of not compromising on intensity.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs VELO Ruby Berry (10mg Slim): Both are 10mg Strong Slim products. Ruby Berry is sweet-fresh strawberry-berry — broadly accessible, summer fruit character. Salty Liquorice is the opposite profile: dark, complex, savoury-sweet liquorice-salmiak. Both at identical nicotine, completely opposite on the sweetness-to-savoury spectrum. The pairing illustrates VELO’s remarkable flavour range depth at Strong tier.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs ZYN Violet Licorice (6mg Slim): ZYN Violet Licorice Slim S2 combines liquorice with violet/blackcurrant flavour at 6mg Regular — a lighter, slightly sweeter, more accessible liquorice profile without explicit salmiak emphasis. VELO Salty Liquorice is 10mg Strong with explicit salmiak in the ingredient list — darker, saltier, and significantly stronger in nicotine. For ZYN Violet Licorice users who want more nicotine and more authentic salmiak character: Salty Liquorice.

Salty Liquorice (10mg Slim) vs ZYN Black Cherry (6mg Mini): ZYN Black Cherry Mini S2 is a sweet dark cherry in Mini format at 6mg Regular — a completely different flavour category. The comparison is relevant only for users choosing between dark/complex flavours at different nicotine levels. Salty Liquorice for Nordic confectionery complexity at Strong; ZYN Black Cherry for sweet dark fruit at Regular.

Who Should Use VELO Salty Liquorice

Salty Liquorice is appropriate for: – Scandinavian, Finnish, Dutch, and other Northern European consumers for whom salty liquorice is a familiar everyday flavour – Regular to heavy daily smokers (15–25 cigarettes per day) who want Strong nicotine with the most distinctively Nordic flavour available in a nicotine pouch – Traditional Swedish snus users transitioning to nicotine pouches who want a flavour closest to the snus-adjacent herbal-salty register – Experienced nicotine pouch users who have tried all standard flavours and want the most unusual and culturally specific option – Users who specifically enjoy the sharp, complex, sweet-salty-bitter character of salmiak liquorice in food

Salty Liquorice is not appropriate for: – Users with no familiarity with salmiak or strong liquorice flavours — approach with genuine caution – Beginners — 10mg Strong requires established tolerance, and salmiak is a demanding first flavour – Users who dislike bitter or saline flavours — choose VELO Purple Grape or VELO Ruby Berry instead – Users outside Northern European salmiak food culture who prefer universally familiar flavours

A genuine warning about salmiak: Salmiak liquorice is one of the most polarising flavours in global food culture. Non-Nordic consumers who encounter it for the first time without preparation frequently find it unpleasant. If you have never tasted salmiak candy before, consider trying a Nordic salmiak sweet before committing to a full can of VELO Salty Liquorice. The flavour will be immediately familiar to Scandinavian and Dutch consumers; it will be genuinely unusual for most others.

Salty Liquorice in Nordic Culture — The Most Distinctive European Confectionery Tradition

Salty liquorice — salmiaklakrits in Swedish, salmiak in Dutch — is one of the most distinctive regional food preferences in the world. It is intensely popular across Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, and the Netherlands, and largely unknown or actively disliked outside these markets.

The Nordic tradition: Salmiak liquorice has been produced and consumed in Scandinavia since at least the 19th century. Swedish brands like Ahlgrens, Finnish salmiakkipastillit, and Dutch zoute drop have been cornerstone confectionery products for generations. The flavour is embedded in Nordic food culture at a deep level — it appears in everything from children’s sweets to adult confectionery, from liqueur (salmiakki vodka) to ice cream.

Why salmiak is so specifically Nordic: Ammonium chloride has been used as a food additive in Northern Europe for centuries — initially as a salt source and food preservative in pre-refrigeration food traditions. Its incorporation into liquorice confectionery appears to have been a Nordic-specific development that never spread widely to other culinary traditions. The result is a flavour that is utterly ordinary in Scandinavia and genuinely exotic almost everywhere else.

The Swedish snus connection: Traditional Swedish snus has long included liquorice-flavoured varieties — General Licorice and similar products are among the most established snus flavours. For snus users transitioning to nicotine pouches, VELO Salty Liquorice represents the closest flavour bridge between the traditional snus category and modern tobacco-free pouches.

For NZ customers, VELO Salty Liquorice is available with fast DHL Express delivery. See our nicotine pouches NZ guide for pricing and the full range.

How to Use VELO Salty Liquorice

1. Place one pouch under your upper lip against the gum — slightly off-centre for comfort
2. Leave completely still — no chewing or sucking. Nicotine and flavour release passively
3. Activation (seconds 0–90): Liquorice and anise activate first — sweet-bitter and aromatic. Salmiak’s characteristic sharp saltiness becomes progressively present within 90 seconds
4. Session (minutes 2–45): Consistent compound liquorice-anise-salmiak throughout. The profile does not simplify — all three components remain active. 10mg Strong nicotine at plateau
5. Remove when flavour fades — typically 30–45 minutes
6. Dispose in the catch compartment in the lid or in a bin. Never flush

Storage and Freshness

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep the can closed between sessions.

Best before date format: VELO uses European format (DD/MM/YYYY). A can marked “08/11/2027” expires 8 November 2027 — not 11 August 2027.

Shelf life: 12–18 months unopened at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mg is VELO Salty Liquorice? 10mg of nicotine per pouch at 14.3mg/g concentration. Strength classification: Strong. One can contains 20 slim pouches and 200mg of total nicotine content.

Is VELO Salty Liquorice the same as VELO Lofty Liquorice? Yes. VELO Lofty Liquorice was renamed VELO Salty Liquorice in early 2025 as part of VELO’s range naming standardisation. The flavour profile, nicotine content, concentration, and everything else is unchanged. The “Salty” name now explicitly communicates the salmiak character that “Lofty” described less directly.

What is salmiak and why is it in this product? Salmiak is ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) — a compound that produces a sharp, distinctive, slightly pungent saltiness distinctly different from ordinary table salt. It is the defining ingredient of Nordic salty liquorice and is listed as a named ingredient in VELO Salty Liquorice. Research documents ammonium chloride’s sensory mechanism as involving TRPA1 and TMEM16A ion channel activation — producing the characteristic sharp bite of salmiak. It is a food-grade compound used in traditional Scandinavian and Dutch confectionery.

What does VELO Salty Liquorice taste like? Black liquorice sweetness from glycyrrhizin, anise aromatics from trans-anethole, and the sharp distinctive saltiness of salmiak — simultaneously sweet, bitter, aromatic, and intensely saline. It tastes like authentic Nordic salty liquorice candy in nicotine pouch format. For Scandinavian consumers this is immediately familiar. For non-Nordic consumers it is one of the most unusual flavours available in the mainstream nicotine pouch market.

Is Salty Liquorice suitable for users who have never tried salmiak? Approach with caution. Salmiak is one of the most polarising flavours in global food culture — intensely popular among those raised with it, genuinely surprising and often off-putting to those encountering it for the first time. If you enjoy strong, complex, non-sweet flavours and have an adventurous palate, it may appeal immediately. If you prefer sweet, accessible flavours, start with a different product.

How does Salty Liquorice compare to ZYN Violet Licorice? ZYN Violet Licorice Slim S2 combines liquorice with violet/blackcurrant at 6mg Regular — lighter, slightly sweeter, more accessible, without explicit salmiak ingredient. VELO Salty Liquorice is 10mg Strong with authentic salmiak in the ingredient list — darker, saltier, significantly stronger. For more authentic Nordic salty liquorice at Strong: VELO Salty Liquorice.

Is VELO Salty Liquorice tobacco-free? Yes. No tobacco leaf at any stage of production. Pharmaceutical-grade nicotine combined with plant-based cellulose fibre, food-grade liquorice, anise, and salmiak flavourings, and pH regulators. Manufactured by British American Tobacco.

Can I use VELO Salty Liquorice on a flight? Yes. VELO produces no smoke, vapour, or smell and is not subject to smoking or vaping restrictions on commercial flights. For destination country rules, see our complete guide to nicotine pouches on flights from New Zealand.

How many pouches per can? 20 slim pouches per can. At 10mg each, one can contains 200mg of total nicotine content.

This product description was written and reviewed by SWEDISHPRODUCTS.ONLINE’s product team in Lidköping, Sweden. SWEDISHPRODUCTS ONLINE AB — Box 613, 531 16 Lidköping, Sweden.

Product information last updated: August 3, 2026.

This product contains nicotine, an addictive substance. For adults 21 years of age and older only. Not suitable for non-smokers, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or individuals with cardiovascular conditions. Keep out of reach of children. For information on nicotine and health, see WHO Tobacco Fact Sheet.