Most companies dedicate a huge part of their advertising during the holiday months to promoting their seasonal flavors, but for whatever reason, Talenti strays from the norm. They've quietly rolled out two new offerings as a part of their Holiday Favorite collection. Peppermint Bark, which I recently reviewed, joins the pint above, Old World Eggnog, to incorporate the taste of the holidays inside gelato. While Peppermint Bark was somewhat straightforward, only combining peppermint gelato with dark chocolate chips, Old World Eggnog seems even more rudimentary. Edy's Eggnog received a subpar rating, but the superior feel and density of this one dimensional flavor should allow the eggnog concept to flourish.
Twisting off the top to this transparent pint, the first layer resembles a simple vanilla, allowing little hint at the velvety texture to come. The 200 calories per serving is significantly higher than it's Edy's counterpart, but as I'd soon find out, the 60 calorie difference would be well worth it. As soon as my spoon hit the eggnog gelato, my interest was peaked. The flecks of nutmeg were the only thing breaking up the all-white base as I scooped some out. Although the concept of an eggnog flavor imposes a ceiling on how incredible this could possibly be, Talenti seems to be the clear winner when it comes to taste and texture given what they were trying to embody in this gelato. The base contains little sugar, with only slight hints of nutmeg on the back end to round out the flavor profile.
The real highlight of this flavor is in the texture. Without even small shards of chocolate to interrupt, the smooth feel to this gelato is hard to compete with. My recent Talenti hiatus made the consistency even more impressive. Where the version made by Edy's is fluffy and melts away quickly, this version has hardly any air incorporated, causing the gelato to slowly dissolve, all the while releasing the subtle sweet flavoring of the coveted holiday beverage on my taste buds. Plus considering this is Talenti we're talking about, the simple, high-quality ingredients used during production improve the overall performance. If you're into sipping eggnog during the holidays, you should track down this holiday favorite before it's back to the North Pole until next year.
Where I Found It: Kroger
Grade: C
