Haagen-Dazs White Russian Ice Cream

[By Jeffrey, New for Canada late 2016] Your friendly neighborhood Junk Food Jeff with another review from north of the border. Last week, I was lucky enough to be the first person to spot the new Haagen Dazs White Russian Ice Cream which contains 1% abv (note: it isn't noted on packaging at all, just according to the Nestle sales rep I talked to). This is their first mainstream alcohol-infused ice cream and apparently the first flavor in a line of these slightly drunken desserts.

Haagen-Dazs White Russian Ice Cream
coffee, vodka, and pure cream

The packaging is definitely eye catching because of the shiny silver instead of the typical Haagen Dazs "creamy gold" I'll call it. The container boldly states the ingredients include coffee, vodka and pure cream with a picture of the drink and the words "flavor illustration" in case you thought it was a frozen version of the drink and not a dessert.

The initial look of the ice cream just looks like plain French vanilla. It's not until you put your spoon through it that you see the bicolored ribbons. It's swirled so interestingly that it almost seems like two separate ice creams. One is definitely white and the other is milk chocolate brown.

The two ice creams have very different but very complimentary flavors. The brown section tastes like coffee that a kid made for you, loaded with sweetness and cream with subtle diner coffee flavor and bitterness. The white tastes like a vanilla vodka milkshake; premium French vanilla ice cream with the subtle taste and astringency of vodka. The alcohol doesn't hit you like a brick wall at all, if anything, it tastes almost like when you're drinking Kahlua and you take the last sip that's been watered down by your ice cubes. Mostly cold, slightly creamy, with the slight taste of vodka.

When you get a spoonful with both flavors, it really gets turned up. The bitterness of the coffee and the bitterness of the vodka get quickly cancelled out by the sweet, creaminess of the ice cream base. Every spoonful is slightly different based on how much you get of each color and that alone makes you go back for more.

On Second Scoop: This is one of the best tasting Haagen Dazs ice creams I've tried. I find HD's ice cream bases to be decadently creamy, and this one is no different. It's unique. It's something I personally never tried before and it makes me crave a White Russian (I don't usually drink but I had one at Xmas, two years ago) It's not very "alcohol-burny" and is actually a nice after dinner treat.

Verdict? definitely buy again. Makes me anxious to see the future flavors