The nougat base is remarkably unique for Ben and Jerry; I can’t recall having it in any of the recent flavors other than Candy Bar Pie. That said, Candy Bar Pie supposedly has a nougat swirl, but my experience indicated that the swirl contained properties far more in line with actual ice cream—the ice cream in the Nutty Caramel Swirl. The nougat base delivers strong peanut notes, with a soft, creamy, and smooth presence on the palate. It does taste very similar to Nougat found in traditional candy bars, but with a greater peanut and cream presence, and with no gummy texture. On its own, aside from its peanut-cream notes, the base lacks significant richness, is comparatively bland and failed to make a real impact on me.
The mix-ins are quite plentiful in Nutty Caramel Swirl. It’s impossible to take a spoonful without multiple peanuts and fudge chunks. The peanuts taste like peanuts and the fudge chunks taste exactly like they always do. Nothing remarkable. When paired with the nougat base, the experience is severely reminiscent of a Snickers ice cream bar. Unfortunately, the caramel swirl proved scarce in this pint; when scooped, the caramel added little to each bite—a largely disappointing component that could have drastically improved this pint in greater volume.
I recommend this pint to Snickers bar fans and to those with significantly easy access to 7-11 that are likewise restricted from visiting major grocery stores. Other than that, I suggest most folks pass.
Where Winston Found It: 7-Eleven
Winston's Grade: C
