Perry's Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

[New for Fall 2016] You know what I love about Perry's? Their willingness to try something new. They have a range of classic flavors but they get today's media cycle. They realize that you need a mix of beloved regulars and new stuff. Not all of the new flavors will work, but who cares, it's how you learn and grow [don't worry, their excellent pumpkin ice cream is back again as well].

Perry's Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

espresso ice cream with pumpkin spice and cream cheese swirls

Since I'm not a very big fan of coffee flavored ice creams, I made sure that Perry's actually wanted to send me free samples of this one. They said it has a nice balance and thought I should still give it a try, so here goes!

Whoa, little black flecks everywhere. For a second I wonder if they are coffee bean bits, but I assume it's one of the spices. I get my nose nice and close and there is a faint aroma of coffee.

It's a real soft scooper like most of the samples we've tried this year. It appears to have a caramel swirl but then I reread the description. It's a pumpkin spice swirl and a cream cheese swirl, not just pumpkin spice. Wait, that means that those bits really could be coffee bean flecks in the base espresso ice cream? HA!

Enough talking, I take a bite and it's actually not bad! I could smell it as it approached my face but there is a light espresso foaminess once it's actually on your taste buds. The light texture of the base is actually a really good delivery method for a flavor like this. I deem it funky.

Let's see if we can get some swirl bites. Neat. It adds a nice complexity but it's specifically adding that complexity rather than trying to dominate the scoop. I don't suddenly taste all pumpkin (or sugar), it just tastes like a more well rounded flavor. I just got some cream cheese swirl and it didn't try to dominate either.

What a clever flavor. Since I don't drink coffee or lattes, I can't compare it to those, but as an ice cream, it's one of the most pleasant and subdued coffee flavors I've tried. It's still a coffee ice cream, but it's more akin to like a half and half mix of a vanilla and jamocha shake. It's in a nice middle of the road place for us non-coffee types. Good complexity, fairly sweet, and the aftertaste is the only place where the coffee flavor really dominates. My biggest question now is whether or not I'll get more pumpkin swirl on my second scooping, I'm pretty confident (hopeful) I will.

On Second Scoop: I really do like this flavor. Yes that's weird for me to say about a coffee flavor. I like the flavor diversity here. Each bite is a bit of a surprise. I actually got two bites that were very pumpkin-y and then overall I'm still pretty easily about to make it through a bowl. Remember, coming from me that is not a slight, it's actually a compliment. I'll have no problem at all getting through my sample quarts. Nice job Perry's.

Hey, are you still reading? Excellent! This was a test to see who stuck with me. Perry's is trying something new at the moment and would like to send one lucky reader a sample of this new Pumpkin Spice Latte ice cream. To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address and what you love most about fall. The changing of the leaves, pumpkin pie, Halloween, pumpkin spice lattes? Whatever it is, let us know and maybe you'll win! One winner will be chosen at random Monday night. >>> I let the contest run through Monday night and I will pick the winner today (Tuesday) >> Anton is our winner, congratulations!

Verdict?  well rounded
Buy Again?  sure

Allergy note: cross contamination warning on label