Ben & Jerry’s Special Stash Phish’s It’s Ice…Cream and caramel malt ice cream, a caramel swirl, fish-shaped fudge pieces, and almond toffee bits, which I’ve mentally filed away as a mix-in I’d use if I ever become a late night talk show host and Ben & Jerry’s asks me to develop a flavor.
Like the previous Special Stash variety, Marshmallow Moon, this was a finalist to become a pint sold in stores but got beat out by another candidate. In It’s Ice…Cream’s case, it was in the running to become the band Phish’s flavor back in the mid-90’s, Phish Food. While the it finally ended up seeing the light of day, it’s only available at Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops and online store in limited quantities.
How limited?
Well, to give you an idea, here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there are ONLY 50 pints available for the entire island. So is it worth hunting down at a price that’s more than what you’d pay for a regular pint of Ben & Jerry’s at your local grocery store?
Short answer. YES!
Long answer. READ ON!
The caramel combo of the ice cream and swirl might seem like caramel excess, but I don’t find that to be the case because the ice cream base isn’t berating my taste buds with flavor. The gooey caramel provides all the buttery goodness and I’m fine with that.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I very much enjoyed the almond toffee bits and there were a lot of them in my pint. They add a thunderous crunch that contrasts the creamy ice cream and the sticky caramel swirl. But the thing about them is that I don’t think of almond toffee when I chew on them. Instead, it’s like eating a crunchy sugar cone.
And this leads to why I’m so fond of this ice cream. When I get all the ingredients into one spoonful, which happens a lot, it’s as if I’m eating the perfect Drumstick ice cream cone bite — creamy ice cream, caramel topping, the fudge fish are like the nugget of chocolate at the bottom of the cone, and the almond toffee’s flavor and crunch is like fresh cone.
I not only love this ice cream, but I also love the artwork on the container, which was drawn by Phish’s legendary illustrator Jim Pollock. Sure, I’m 100 percent positive a future dream of mine will involve an anthropomorphic fish, but the art gives it a small brand look to it, making it stand out among Ben & Jerry’s other pints.
On paper, It’s Ice…Cream seems so simple, but, I can’t stress this enough, the almond toffee takes it to another level. This flavor is special and worth seeking out.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample from Ben & Jerry’s. This did not influence my review in any way. I know. I know. It totally reads like I’m in Ben & Jerry’s pocket, but I really did enjoy this pint.
(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 290 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)
Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Almond toffee pieces are awesome; for some reason, they remind me of a sugar cone. Eating all of the ingredients in a spoonful tastes like the best Drumstick bite, and there are a lot of spoonfuls like that.
Cons: Caramel malt ice cream flavor isn’t that noticeable. The pint’s artwork may end up in your dreams. Limited supply. Only available at Scoop Shops and the online store. Costs more than other Ben & Jerry’s pints at the grocery store.
Who do I have to kill in order for B&J to bring back Wavy Gravy? Reading this review just pisses me off. Grr.