McDonald's Shamrock Shake Is Back (Pssst... I've Never Had One)

Valentine's Day marks the official start of Shamrock Shake season at McDonald's. The annual offering, which debuted in 1970, is available now at participating locations until March 28. McDonald's describes it as "vanilla soft serve blended with Shamrock Shake syrup and topped with delicious whipped topping." It's so popular there's a Shamrock Shake Finder component of the McD's app—but here's a confession: I've never had one.

Wild, right? I don't know how to explain this fast-food blind spot, frankly. I've never had a Shamrock Shake. Thus, I'm not 100 percent sure of its flavor. It's mint, right? But there are D.I.Y. versions online that suggest pistachios, so that's weird.

Anyway, maybe this will be the year I finally try a Shamrock Shake, just to see what I've been missing out on all these years. (A medium Shamrock Shake has 560 calories, so it better be worth it. A Big Mac, for comparison, has 540.)

But what I'd like from you, readers, is to tell me what to expect. Your assignment: Describe what a Shamrock Shake tastes like, other than mint and cream? Is it sort fluffy, texturally? (It looks kinda fluffy in photos.) Explain its allure, and I'll promise to try one—for you, reader!—and let you know whether I think it lived up to the hype.