New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Get the scoop: An ice cream graveyard you can visit
“Now in front of the pearly gates, Holy Cannoli sits and waits. What brought its ruin no one knows. Must have been the pistachios,” reads the tombstone for the limited batch Ben & Jerry’s flavor Holy Cannoli.
Ben & Jerry’s fans have experienced ice cream flavors leaving their lives just as quickly as they came in.
Whether it be the long-forgotten Dastardly Mash or the fan-favorite Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, some Ben & Jerry's flavors have retired in what is known as the “Flavor Graveyard.”
Though this may seem like an elaborate joke, you can actually pay your respects to the extinct dairy treats by jumping in your car and driving up to Waterbury, Vt.
The quaint Vermont village is situated approximately 190 miles north of the Connecticut border, and is a three-hour drive from the Connecticut/Massachusetts border.
The Flavor Graveyard is located outside of the famed Ben & Jerry's factory, where 350,000 pints of the iconic treat are produced daily. The company has utilized the same factory since its opening in 1985.
Ben & Jerry's factory tour remains popular as it gives guests a first-hand look at the process behind making a pint of ice cream.
While the tour and gift shop are currently closed due to the pandemic, ice cream junkies will still be able to grab some Cherry Garcia or Phish Food at the “Scoop Shop,” as well as make the small hike to the Flavor Graveyard.
The Flavor Graveyard is located at 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road in Waterbury Village Historic District, Vt. The factory and graveyard can be visited between noon and 6 p.m., seven days a week. The tour and gift shop are closed to guests amid the ongoing pandemic. Masks are required. Connecticut residents may visit Vermont if they have received the COVID-19 vaccine and have been vaccinated for at least two weeks. Other Connecticut residents must quarantine and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test after the seventh day of their stay.