What is sweet, creamy, and goes down easily?
Don’t be green-minded, folks; we’re talking about Baileys Irish Cream! This is a tasty liqueur that we often find in major supermarkets and liqueur stores, and for a great reason.
For those who haven’t tried it yet (or have only tried it a few times), you’re probably wondering, “what does Baileys taste like, and how is it so popular for its flavors?”
As the name suggests, it’s creamy with more of a vanilla flavor that works incredibly in sweet chocolate-flavored drinks and desserts. Sweet, milky, and somewhat chocolatey, it’s a drink for the children at heart.
However, keep on reading to learn the exact flavors of Baileys Irish Cream and see how you can use it for your following recipes!
What’s Baileys Irish Cream?
Note that we will be focusing on the original Baileys Irish Cream for this article. This liqueur was invented by Thomas Jago in Ireland back in the early 1970s, featuring Irish whiskey, cocoa, and cream.
Jago’s goal was to create a drink with an international appeal, and he decided to work with Gluckman to create a new concoction: Cream and whiskey.
Can you believe that Jago owned a money-losing distillery in Ireland that produced too many whiskeys? Since he had access to cheap cream, he decided to mix those two, and here we are!
The idea of mixing dairy with alcoholic beverages originally came from Gluckman, who also helped the Irish butter and cheese brand Kerrygold in the early 1960s. Gluckman didn’t only add cream and whiskey but decided to add sugar and powdered drinking chocolate. (*)
According to Bailey’s website, their original Baileys Irish Cream liqueur contains whiskey, spirits, cream, and chocolate flavors. However, more flavorings are added to Baileys’ expanded line of drinks. There are exotic flavors and even a vegan liqueur using almond milk over cream.
Over 82 million bottles of Baileys Irish Cream are sold in more than 150 countries. And that number is just by the YEAR! It holds the top spot as the bestselling liqueur worldwide.
What Does Baileys Irish Cream Taste Like?
The reason why Baileys is extremely popular is thanks to three reasons:
- It’s hella delicious and addicting with its sweet, rich flavor. With a 17% ABV, the alcohol isn’t too intense to get drunk right away, but it can make drinkers a bit tipsy after a few drinks.
- It’s very versatile, either drunk straight, mixed with various drinks, or used in desserts.
- Baileys is a reasonably affordable liqueur costing $20-25 per bottle on average.
After taking the first sip, you’ll probably want a lot more. People are hooked on the creamy and chocolatey goodness Baileys offers, as it tastes like chocolate milkshakes with alcohol. Besides the vanilla and chocolate flavor notes, you can also taste the hint of fruitiness from Irish whiskey.
The aroma itself is enticing. Pour a bit of Baileys Irish Cream, and you’ll get to smell more chocolate and cream, almost as if you were drinking spiked hot chocolate.
You can get more Baileys liqueurs to suit your palate and recipe. They all taste just as creamy as the original Irish Cream but have various flavors. There’s Chocolate Cherry, Vanilla Cinnamon, Salted Caramel, Espresso Crème, and even Pumpkin Spice!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you left with other questions about Baileys Irish Cream? Here are our frequently asked questions!
Wrapping It Up
Hopefully, you got your answer to the question, “what does Baileys taste like?” While we described the OG Irish Cream, you can expect the other liqueurs under Baileys to taste somewhat similar.
The company offers so many other liqueurs that it’s hard to pinpoint their exact flavors in one article! But if you want to learn more about each liqueur type, let us know, and we can make an ultimate guide.
