Perry's Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

[New for 2016] As part of the escapes rebranding (or de-branding), Perry's has added several new flavors to the lineup this year. They sent over samples of three new flavors at the end of January: the excellent One Buffalo, Bourbon Caramel Pecan, and this one. Now hazelnut is slowly making some inroads to be more mainstream in the freezer aisle, but how will this version stack up against all the others we've seen?

Perry's Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

Chocolate hazelnut flavored ice cream with chocolate flavored hazelnut swirls

It's similar in color to a frosty. It's interesting how they've gone "chocolate hazelnut" and not "chocolate and hazelnut" for both the base and the swirl, we don't usually see that in a hazelnut flavor.

I lick a spot that's dripping off the edge and I taste coconut. Ummm, what? I take a few small bites and yeah, it's hitting me as coconut. Is my palate that simplistic? Nope, no coconut in the ingredients. I'm just not familiar enough with hazelnuts I guess, but to me, this tastes like a super sweet candy bar.

Mmmmm, ok, I get the hazelnut more on the swirl which is very nice. It's almost fudgy and helps take the base down a notch. Ha, I don't think I've ever said that before, at least not in a very long time.

You know what it reminds me of now? Some super sweet shortbread cookie, the kind where you go "hmmm, which kind of nut did they grind up in to here again?"

You know, I think this one might be growing on me. There definitely seems to be some variation on flavoring and potency from bite to bite, but it's got a fun aftertaste that is helping win me over. I'm wondering how good this might be with some crunchy shortbread cookies mixed in. (I have some birthday cake teddy grahams handy but I don't think that will do).

It's a shame more of you don't have access to Perry's because I'm really curious what others would think of this one. It's definitely more potent and sweet (and coconutty) than I expected

On Second Scoop: I still think this one smells like a mounds bar. I know it's not coconut but I can't stop my brain from registering that way. I just looked at the other two hazelnut reviews I did and both times I talk about a sweet butteriness, and since that has happened again here, I'm guessing that's a hazelnut thing? Sorry for being uninformed, but all this confusion aside, it is a pretty fun flavor. Hazelnut isn't my thing so I wouldn't actively seek this, but if you like hazelnut (or coconut), and don't mind strong flavors, I would give this one a try.

Verdict?  very sweet and flavorful
Buy Again?  not my thing (but grab it if you're interested)