By Rory McNelley, Staff Writer

I am sure everyone has heard about the new Skyline Chili flavored ice cream released by Graeter’s Ice Cream last month. Here is an unfiltered review.

The ice cream, which is based off the Cincinnati fast food chili icon, Skyline Chili, contains their signature spice mix and oyster crackers mixed into Graeter’s French Pot ice cream. This is Skyline’s first desert endeavor since their spread across the Midwest began in 1949. In their 75^th year, it seems they are looking to broaden their horizons. 

Now, as a self-proclaimed oyster cracker enthusiast, I had high hopes for this recipe. The simplicity, crunch, light salt and cheap price of the oyster cracker make it the perfect snack. As a college student on a budget, I always have oyster crackers in my backpack. 

Oyster crackers in ice cream, a very out-of-the-box idea, had the chance to be tasty in my eyes. Though, when combined with Skyline’s signature spice—a mix of cinnamon and pumpkin flavors—nothing worked in harmony. The crackers’ texture, which you would assume to be soggy, were inconsistent. Some were soggy while some were hard as rocks.

I am not going to sugar coat it. This was one of the worst flavors I have encountered in my 18-year career consuming food. Not just bad in the ice cream realm, but simply bad overall. The signature spice makes it taste like pumpkin pie with too much cinnamon added in, but along with the cracker it feels like a boxing match in your mouth. Is it a pumpkin pie? Is it just a spoon of cinnamon? Is it soggy oyster cracker soup? We may never know. 

“It tasted like eggnog and spicy cinnamon mixed with soggy wet oyster crackers. I gave it an overall rating of 2/10,”  first-year marketing major Jenna Szczepanik describes her experience and fellow victim.

In a shocking turn of events, our fearless leader Sean Miller raved about the new dessert too. “It’s amazing, it’s delicious. It tastes like a coffee cake or a spice cake,” he explained in a reel recently posted to his podcast channel on Instagram. Describing it as “unreal,” Miller may be this flavor’s number one fan. 

A truly controversial ice cream seems to be either hated or loved is a limited-edition Cincinnati collaboration. Both icons of the city, I am not sure if they are to be mixed. The “sweet and savory” flavor combo, as Graeter’s website describes it, was much anticipated. Though they have not announced when sales will end, this rare desert won’t be around for long. Is this a good thing? You’ll have to try it yourself and see.