I wonder if there is a genetic link for liking/hating licorice the same way that there is for cilantro.

The first time that I ate cilantro it tasted like soap, but I have trained myself to enjoy small amounts as long as it’s not the main ingredient. I don’t like licorice, including Sambuca, but I put fennel seeds in rye bread, just as long as they are outnumbered by the caraway seeds. I realize that fennel is not licorice but it is similar enough to trigger the “licorice” taste but without the gag reflex.