We tried ‘sunscreen’ ice cream — and kind of liked it

“Ever wanted to taste your sunscreen?”

That was a real question, from Carnival Cruise Line, that arrived in my inbox.

The cruise company has gone ahead and created an edible approximation as a marketing ploy, with help from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

The Brooklyn-based chain is no stranger to the stunt ice cream game, having produced flavors meant to mimic Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. Those, it’s worth noting, are other foods, not goop that you’d smear on your body during a cruise.

We could not resist, so we asked to try some.

A red carton with blue and white accents resembling Carnival’s ships eventually found its way, packed in dry ice, to my building. The packaging says the flavor is a limited edition, which is an understatement. It’s not available to buy, but Carnival distributed 16-ounce containers to media, influencers and others.

“If the buzz is big enough, a limited-time run of the flavor could be on the horizon,” a news release promises.

We assembled a taste test with several Washington Post writers and editors, including food and travel experts. Were there haters? Absolutely. Did some people opt for seconds? Yes, they did. More than one wished for a rum floater.

What does sunscreen taste like?

Depending on your sun protection of choice, the most obvious flavor in the Carnival/Van Leeuwen concoction isn’t surprising.

“Right off the bat, it’s a tsunami of coconut,” wrote one taster. Another described “toasted coconut overkill.” Some detected banana (and some didn’t but wished they did). Several of us noticed some tang - notes of lime or other citrus - while one didn’t get tropical vibes at all.

“It tastes more like butterscotch to me than anything else,” said a member of our panel. “Like really, really salty butterscotch - which I’m not against. Do I think it tastes like the beach? Not really.”

Although there were no ingredients printed on the pint we received, a list provided by Carnival included cream, milk and cane sugar as well as coconut cream, egg yolks, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, sea salt and other natural flavors.

“We leaned heavily on the island blend of coconut and banana with notes of cocoa butter - a sunscreen favorite - and a hint of sea salt to represent that ocean smell at the beach,” Ben Van Leeuwen, the co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, said in an emailed statement. He said the development took place at the company’s “flavor lab” in Brooklyn.

Salt was the unexpected standout, with some bites packing more of a savory punch than others. One person described “tidal waters reduced down in a pot and blended with ice,” while another compared it to an ocean breeze. This led to a surprising number of references to skin.

“Like licking your own skin after a long day at the beach,” said one avid beachgoer.

Even more alarming from another: “It tastes like sunbaked skin a little bit.”

The verdict

Although multiple tasters lauded the creamy texture, some complained of an unpleasant, artificial aftertaste and after-feel. That bore a resemblance to the original product, one writer said, noting that the coating on her tongue “resembles the filmy feeling on skin after applying sunscreen.”

Most of our group said they wouldn’t opt for the flavor again given the choice, though it won a couple of people over.

“Would order!” wrote one. “With maybe some key lime pie and some graham crackers.”

Another said she didn’t know whether she’d pick sunscreen over other flavors - but found it better than she expected. Yet another taster said she wanted to “save my calories for something I enjoy.”

“It tastes like Ocean City, but I really wanted to go to Jamaica,” she said.

Carnival chief marketing officer Amy Martin Ziegenfuss said in an emailed statement that the company sought out “a collaboration that captures vacation vibes and sends the message that summer can be endless.”

In press materials, the cruise line described an effort to ward off the blues that accompany the end of summer (ostensibly to remind people that cruises sail to places that stay summery year-round, like Mexico and the Caribbean).

Van Leeuwen said Carnival came to the company for help with “something out of the box” for the publicity effort. In a world where ranch and mac-and-cheese ice creams have existed - and creative flavors drive buzz - the sunscreen-inspired concoction didn’t shock our group.

Said one taste-tester: “As far as stunt food goes, this isn’t as offensive as the name suggests.”