Perhaps you associate raisins with your grandparents, but it’s not unusual to spot tightly packed rum raisin ice cream in an old-fashioned ice cream parlor even now. This flavor is as classy and nostalgic as it is contentious. Despite this, if you scratch rum raisin off as another casualty of the 1980s, understand that people have relished this flavor far beyond that period (and they can’t all be erroneous).

The idea of blending boozy raisins with dessert originated from dessert-lovers in the Italian region of Sicily who used to soak Málaga raisins in rum and mixed them with vanilla gelato. Rather than rum raisin, the delight was initially named “Málaga gelato”. With a high concentration of natural sugar, these raisins are used in making the sweet wines that Málaga, Spain is globally renowned for. As a matter of fact, when the Sicilians first soaked their Málaga raisins, they used Marsala wine instead of rum. This wine has a similar flavor profile like rum. Indeed, Málaga raisins have been traded as a prized luxurious food stuff in Europe from as early as the 1700s, and the authentic Málaga muscatel raisins (pasas de Málaga) are typically marked by an official DOP seal.

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It’s not definitely known when this boozy dessert officially made its entry into the U.S. An advertisement in the Daily Ardmoreite newspaper from Oklahoma in 1932 read, “Extra Special. Rum Raisin Ice Cream. Entirely New.” Certainly, Americans replaced gelato with vanilla ice cream, and the combination of the profound cinnamon, dark rum, and vanilla made this old-style classic an enduring delight. Some recipes suggest a vanilla ice cream base that’s swirled with cinnamon or brown sugar. It all fits well. The essential part is the chilled, booze-soaked raisins, which burst in the mouth providing an intriguing texture.

Its everlasting impact is often credited to Häagen-Dazs, which first introduced this flavor in their pint in the early 80s. Fast forward about half a century later and rum raisin remains a vital part of the ice cream company’s continual palette. And it is not just the ice cream that deserves your attention the next time you make a trip to the frozen section; the previously mentioned Málaga raisins are worthy of a second glance as well. Yet, not every rum raisin ice cream made nowadays is made solely (or even partially) from real Málaga raisins. Oftentimes, regular dark or golden raisins are used. However, back in the 1930s, these rum-infused gems were the centerpiece of the performance, which reserved a permanent spot for rum raisin ice cream in the unofficial hall of fame of flavors.

Check out the original article on Tasting Table.