Backstretch Bourbon Cherry ice cream has been named Dairy Foods' 2026 Product of the Year, winning 57% of reader votes and handing Graeter's its second consecutive victory in the award's two-year history. Last year it was Skyline Spice Ice Cream. This year, a bourbon-kissed scoop built around Kentucky Derby season took the crown.
Backstretch Bourbon Cherry ice cream wins Dairy Foods Product of the Year
Dairy Foods readers picked Backstretch Bourbon Cherry over eleven other nominees, a field that ranged from cottage cheese to frozen Greek yogurt to protein pops. Graeter's took 57% of the vote, so this flavor has clearly traveled well beyond Cincinnati and the Derby infield. We still hand pack every batch in 2.5-gallon French Pot freezers, and it's good to see the old way finding new fans.
This is the second year in a row Graeter's has won. Skyline Spice Ice Cream took the first-ever Product of the Year award in 2025. Two very different flavors winning back to back points to the process behind them more than to any one recipe.
What's actually in this bourbon flavored ice cream
Backstretch Bourbon Cherry was created in collaboration with the Kentucky Derby. This bourbon flavored ice cream starts with a bourbon-kissed base made in our French Pot process, then gets packed with black cherries and praline pecans. There's no chocolate in it. The flavor is warm bourbon, dark fruit, and praline pecan. Because French Pot batches are only 2.5 gallons, the bourbon holds up and the cherries stay dense in every scoop.
The flavor nods to the classic Kentucky bourbons known for their rich, decadent taste. Fans who love bourbon, cherry, and pecans together often call it the best bourbon ice cream they've tried.
Why a Kentucky Derby flavor fits Graeter's story
Graeter's has been stubborn about its process since 1870, long before Backstretch Bourbon Cherry or the Derby partnership. The French Pot process hasn't changed much in over a century: small batches, superior ingredients, nothing rushed. Partnering with the Kentucky Derby on a bourbon ice cream made sense for a family-owned company that protects its traditions.
That same stubbornness shows up in what people taste. The bourbon holds up and the cherries don't go watery.
What back-to-back wins mean for Graeter's
Winning a reader-voted award once is a good year. Winning it twice, with two different flavors, is a credit to everyone who scoops, packs, and ships Graeter's ice cream every day. Skyline Spice leaned into warmth and spice. Backstretch Bourbon Cherry leans into bourbon and fruit. Both come from the same French Pot process and the same ingredient standards, batch after batch.
How to try Backstretch Bourbon Cherry
Backstretch Bourbon Cherry is back at Graeter's scoop shops and available to order online for home delivery while supplies last. It's also available in select scoop shops. You can grab a scoop between errands or have a pint shipped to your door. Either way, it's the same hand-packed bourbon, black cherry, and praline pecan ice cream that just earned the top vote from Dairy Foods readers.
FAQ
What is Backstretch Bourbon Cherry ice cream?
It's a bourbon-kissed ice cream packed with black cherries and praline pecans, created in collaboration with the Kentucky Derby and made in our French Pot process in 2.5-gallon batches. It just won Dairy Foods' 2026 Product of the Year.
Is Backstretch Bourbon Cherry the same as bourbon ball ice cream?
No. Bourbon ball is a chocolate and bourbon flavor, and Backstretch Bourbon Cherry has no chocolate. Its flavor is bourbon, black cherry, and praline pecan. If you like bourbon desserts but want something fruit-forward and nutty instead of chocolatey, this is the one to try.
How did Graeter's win Product of the Year two years in a row?
Skyline Spice Ice Cream won the inaugural Dairy Foods Product of the Year award in 2025, and Backstretch Bourbon Cherry followed in 2026 with 57% of the reader vote. Both flavors are built on the French Pot process and small-batch standards Graeter's has used since 1870.
Where can I buy Backstretch Bourbon Cherry ice cream?
Backstretch Bourbon Cherry is back at Graeter's scoop shops and available to order online for home delivery while supplies last. Like every Graeter's flavor, it's hand packed in small batches.
Ready to taste it for yourself? Order a pint for home delivery or find a scoop shop near you.
