Like making a good co*cktail, creating whisky-infused ice cream is both science and art. You can't add too much alcohol, or it won't freeze well, and you also want the flavors to balance each other out: Rather than whisky hitting you over the head, it should complement the ice cream's overall profile.
This can be easier than you think. “The sweet, nutty, caramel notes often identified in whisky and the buttery, vanilla notes in bourbon make them perfect for inclusion in desserts,” says Rachel Chitwood, vice president of marketing for Tipsy Scoop.
Even better, “whisky heightens the flavor of the ice cream without compromising its taste,” says Ashley Kendrick, owner of Malachi's Ice Cream Bar in Jacksonville, Florida. “Ice cream masks the bitterness of alcohol, so you can get more of the flavor profile rather than the harshness that some may perceive when drinking it.”
No wonder Chitwood and Kendrick say their ice cream can turn people who shy away from whisky into big fans of the spirit.
Though you can make your own whisky ice cream, if you prefer to leave the churning to the pros, you're in luck. Several ice cream barlors across the country feature ice cream either made with alcohol or spiked with the spirit of your choice. From scoops to shakes to sundaes and more, these decadent treats are the perfect way to end the day. “Whiskey-infused ice cream means you don't have to choose between a nightcap and after-dinner treat—you can have the best of both worlds in each boozy bite,” Chitwood says.
5 Barlors That Feature Whisky Ice Cream
Aubi & Ramsa
Aubi & Ramsa looks like a bar, but it serves ice cream, including upscale flavors like Old Fashioned (with Woodford Reserve), Highland Truffle (chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks and Macallan), and Kentucky Crème Brûlée (with Makers Mark and caramel sugar sprinkles). You can also get ice cream delivered at home: A pack of eight flavors starts at $80 and 16 flavors start at $144.
Locations: Florida, New York City, Las Vegas
Boozy's Creamery + Craft
Cozy up to the bar or grab a table at this locally owned barlor that changes flavors based on the season. Popular whisky options have included white chocolate Rocky Road with Bulleit, chocolate-blackberry ice cream with brownies and Bird Dog, and cereal ice cream with Fireball. Choose if you'd like a scoop, ice cream flight, milkshake, ice cream float, or affogato. Note that they're only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and, while they have no-alcohol flavors, after 8 p.m., it's 21 and older only.
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Buzzed Bull Creamery
Every scoop and milkshake at this franchise parlor is made to order: Pick any neutral base, then add your desired flavor and extra ingredients, such as pieces of candy, nuts, sprinkles, and a spirit. They flash-freeze everything with liquid nitrogen to create a super creamy concoction (and a cool smoke effect). Try Bonfire (marshmallow syrup, graham cracker, chocolate chips, and cinnamon) with cinnamon whisky or Buzzed Bull (caramel, espresso, peanuts, whipped cream) with bourbon. If you can't decide, order a flight of four 3-ounce ice creams. Whisky behind the bar includes Crown Royal, Jack Daniel’s, Angels Envy, Bulleit, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Makers Mark, and Woodford Reserve. Also check out the espresso bar, where every drink can be buzzed.
Locations: Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina coming soon)
Malachi's Ice Cream Bar
Malachi's Ice Cream BarThis fun, family-friendly parlor infuses any ice cream with your choice of spirit by injecting it via a test tube or blending it into a milkshake. Top flavors to spike with bourbon include butter pecan, toffee butter, cookie butter, and Let's Play in Mud, a combination of chocolate, coffee, brownies, chocolate flakes, and chocolate syrup. They also offer Sorbetmosas (a scoop sorbet topped with champagne), beer, wine, and brownie sundaes.
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Tipsy Scoop
Tipsy Scoop's bright, Instagram-ready menu brings out the kid in you. In addition to offering dark chocolate whiskey salted caramel and vanilla bean bourbon ice cream and sundaes year-round, Tipsy Scoop features seasonal infused flavors—such as Santa's cookies and whiskey—during the holidays, ice cream co*cktails, and alcohol-infused ice cream flights. Over the years, the company has worked with various whiskey brands, including Jameson, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Bulleit, Jack Daniel’s, and Wild Turkey, to create their different ice cream flavors served by the scoop or pint ($15), and in cakes ($96) and sandwiches ($54/6). Tipsy Scoop also offers classes where you can learn how to make ice cream co*cktails.
Locations: New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, Bahamas, Washington, D.C. (Nashville, Phoenix, and Portland coming soon)
