Salmiak. Back in 2014, and actually a couple days after on my birthday (5 days after xmas), When i spent a 6 month stint in okinawa, Of all places to receive it, I was given Salmiak. At least a full tin (almost EIGHT POUNDS in the tin alone... Thats a lot.)
Salmiak is a finnish, Salted black licorice. As a finn i eas greatful for it and always wanted to try it.
It tasted like an old shoe, Was about as hard to chew or break a piece off as one, Made me feel sick at some crucial points, But was strangely addicting and grew on me as such a weird acquired taste, And i buy a good quantity of it every year.
Its the weirdest gift because it was given to me through a strange series of events by a former philipino scout in his 70s who of all the peoples in the world wouldnt expect to have like 50 pounds of it in his possession of finnish made and imported salmiak. I never could understand the story of how he came across it and fell in love with it but im sure it was even more wild.