As summer is officially in full swing, a favorite past time of many is grabbing an ice cream cone from their local ice cream store. Illinois, however, has a few unique flavors of its own! As a culinary leader, over the last few decades numerous types of ice cream flavors have been concocted right here in this state that you most likely will not find anywhere else. To celebrate National Ice Cream month this July, we are kicking off our own “most unique flavors” list.

Starting with the classic chocolate malt, this flavor is strongly linked to Chicago and Walgreens! Back in 1922, a Chicago Walgreens drugstore employee, Ivar “Pop” Coulson, added two scoops of vanilla ice cream to the standard malted milk recipe, creating what is now known as the classic ice cream milkshake! With this innovation, most famously known as “double rich chocolate malt” the flavor grew with popularity and was even adopted by Walgreens stores across the country.

Next on our list, is the “Rainbow Cone” ice cream flavor, another Chicago ice cream flavor created by Joe and Katherine Sapp in 1926. The Rainbow Cone flavor is packs a punch with a total five distinct flavors: chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio, and orange sherbet. This specific flavor is unique in how it is put together, offering the variety of flavors in one serving in a whole slice rather than a scoop. If you’d like to visit the store where this was created, check out The Original Rainbow Cone store in Chicago!

Last on our list of unique flavors is — get ready for it — Goat Cheese Cashew Caramel! Yep, you heard that right, this flavor came from the Black Dog Gelato store in Chicago. Made from bacon and whiskey, this is certainly a flavor that is both outrageous and intriguing enough to try once in your life.

Other unique flavors that the Midwest is known for include Blue Moon, Superman and Palmer House! Which one of these flavors would you try?