Van Leeuwen Malted Cookie Dough Shake Ice Cream

[New for pints in 2023] The name caught my attention, but will it amuse me? Also, apologies, but I ate it back in February! I actually thought they maybe it left shelves completely (as in a limited edition flavor), but I have started seeing it on shelves again. Anyway, let's take a scoop of....

Van Leeuwen Malted Cookie Dough Shake Ice Cream

malted ice cream with cookie dough and dark chocolate chips

Ruh roh...

Better(ish).

Apologies, but I wrote down the first scooping on a post it note, so here goes the translation of that:

I thought I got a little bit of saltiness on those first bites.

The weird thing with this one is that somehow the malt vibe comes across as a cheesy vibe. Getting in to the (very dense & dry) cookie dough does help abate that vibe a bit, but overall, it's still there. 

I do like malt flavors (though there aren't many) and I do appreciate what malt can do for a flavor, but this is not how I wanted this flavor to do. I wanted a malty, brown sugar vibe, not a malty, cheesy vibe.

On Second Scoop: Yeah, still getting that cheesy vibe. Cookie dough balls are still tough. I'll finish the pint but I don't expect to be buying this one again (back to Tillamook's Malted Moo Shake!)

Foot Note: Ha! I totally forgot about their Idaho Potato Malted Milkshake & Fries while eating this. Having had both, I think the other flavor makes a little more sense now in terms of how the flavor came across.

Verdict?  oddly cheesy
Buy Again?  nah