Top 10 Best Candies of All Time

At around two kilos per person per year, the Dutch are the biggest licorice consumers in the world. Licorice is based on the thickened root juice of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra), sugar and ammonium chloride (salmiak).

These iconic bear-shaped gummies were invented in Germany in 1922 by Hans Riegel, the founder of Haribo. More than 160 million are produced worldwide every day in six fruit flavors.

This sugar-coated candy with a crunchy shell and a soft mint or fruit center was invented in the Netherlands in 1932 by the Van Melle brothers. Mentos is now sold in more than 130 countries.

These soft candies from manufacturer Katja combine sweet licorice with a banana-shaped head of soft marshmallow foam. It is one of the best-selling candies on the Dutch market and completely gelatin-free.

This colorful mix of licorice combined with colored coconut paste and aniseed was invented by accident in 1899 by a salesman of the Bassett's candy factory. The mix includes round coconut rolls and layered licorice squares, among others.

Wine gums were developed in England in 1909 by Charles Gordon Maynard and, despite the name, contain no alcohol at all. They owe their name to the idea that you should savor them slowly, like a glass of fine wine.

These green candies consist of a top layer of soft fruit gum combined with a bottom of white sugar foam. Manufacturer Haribo has produced this classic for decades as a fixture of candy bags.

These thin, elongated ribbons made from wheat flour and sugar are coated in malic or citric acid for a sharp, sour taste. They are especially popular in fruit flavors like strawberry, apple and rainbow.

Autodrop was invented in the 1960s by manufacturer Van Slooten and is known for its creative shapes such as Cadillacs, bumpers and double-decker buses. The candies combine soft licorice with fruit flavors.

These airy, elongated candy blocks with vanilla and strawberry flavors are made from whipped sugar foam with gelatin. The texture is soft and melts slowly on the tongue.