North Lime Donuts’ “One Shining Donut” is the new official anthem of March Madness

In a world where basically any noun that holds some sort of value can be packaged and turned into a cheeky bracket, it’s very easy to become jaded with by the month of March.

However, there stands one exception.

Each year, Kentucky-based bakery North Lime Donuts holds something called “Donut Madness,” a twist on the popular sporting event that is both a bit sweeter — and more glacé — than its basketball counterpart.

This donut shop, which is famous around the Lexington area for its rotating cavalcade of experimental flavors that don the title of “Donut of the Day,” produces a bracket each March that gives its fans the choice to vote with their wallets for their favorite of the 36 flavors that make the big dance.

North Lime Donuts

You see, there isn’t much in life more precious and universally beloved than baked goods, and donuts seem to stand in a league of their own among its counterparts. Scones? Whatever. Muffins? Too many calories; you might as well just eat a donut. Cookies? What are you, five years old?

Each day features a different matchup, with North Lime awarding a cash prize to the winner of the donut bracket pool:

And now, after a month of waiting — and, more importantly, tasting — a winner has been crowned in the clash of titans that was blueberry glazed versus blackberry filled. It was on this, the final day of the tournament, that we were given this tournament’s magnum opus.

And there it is. The saccharine sash shall be draped across blueberry glaze’s sugary shoulders, who defeated some equally delectable counterparts like brownie batter and maple bacon en route to a title.

Honestly, since we didn’t have a good crop of mid-majors go very far in the NCAA Tournament this year, I’ve probably paid more attention to Donut Madness than the matchups on the hardwood. That being said, I’m proud to proclaim “One Shining Donut” as the official anthem of March.