I recently reviewed Guernsey McGuire’s Irish Mint ice cream which I loved. That experience inspired me to pick up another Guernsey flavor, black cherry. Was it as good? Read on to learn if this ice cream is potentially one you should pick up during your next shopping trip.
The Review
Guernsey Black Cherry ice cream is certainly not a flavor for everyone. You are going to need to really like cherries to enjoy this one.
The ice cream is essentially a cherry ice cream base with sweetened pieces of black cherries mixed in.
The ice cream base is super creamy and smooth. It’s the creaminess many people desire from an ice cream without a sort of light or watery taste to it that you find with lesser quality products.
The cherry flavor of the ice cream base is what I’ll call medium in cherry flavor. You notice a close to natural tasting cherry flavor to it but its almost a background flavor to the creaminess of the ice cream.
The real pieces of cherry mixed into the base is what increases the level of cherry intensity in this ice cream. The cherries are large and nicely sweetened with a delicious natural flavor.
When you combine the cherry ice cream with the cherry pieces in one bite there is no mistaking that you are eating cherry ice cream. In other words, you’re going to have to really like cherries to enjoy this ice cream.
The level of sugar or sweetness to this ice cream is near perfect. It’s maybe slightly on the sweet side for some people but I can’t imagine many people complaining about it.
What’s not to like about this ice cream?
Well, I’m not a huge fan of some of the ingredients used in it. Specifically, it contains a variety of artificial dyes including Red #40, Red #3, Blue #1, and Blue #2. Additionally, I’m not keen on the use of carrageenan as a thickener/stabilizer.
While these ingredients are acceptable to use in foods according to FDA, they are not without controversy (See: Carrageen Safety & Side Effects and Health Risks of Food Dyes). If you are picky about the ingredients you eat, you may wish to comb through the ingredients printed on the carton before you buy.
The Rating
I give Guernsey Black Cherry ice cream 8.1 out of 10 stars. Admittedly, this flavor is not for everyone given its heavy cherry flavor but it’s certain to please the taste buds of many cherry lovers. It’s super creamy with generous portion of cherry pieces and a nice level of sweetness. The ice cream has a homemade taste despite some of its artificial ingredients or additives.
I paid full price for this ice cream at somewhere around $6.00 for a carton of it. It’s a bit pricey but worth buying at full price on occasion given its quality. However, I would consider it a bargain if I could find it on sale at $5.00 or below. I would undoubtedly buy this ice cream more if it were cheaper.
I encourage you to try this flavor if you can find it near you. If you do try it, be sure to leave your thoughts about it in the comments below. We won’t judge you on your opinion even if you absolute hate it. We just ask for honest and respectful comments!
