Plain as it is, vanilla is the nation’s favorite ice-cream flavor. Our expert tasters tried 19 (including gelatos), separating the yum from the ho-hum. For ice-cream lovers who venture beyond vanilla, we also recommend a dozen in three other flavors: salted caramel, mint chip, and fudge brownie. Taste. Among vanillas, Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs are the clear winners: dense and creamy, with intense dairy flavor and complex, high-quality vanilla flavor. A runner-up, Talenti, is quite sweet and a bit icy, with a fruity-floral vanilla flavor typical of Tahitian vanilla. As you go down the Ratings, the ice creams tend...