Irish Liqueur Spirit: The Best Baileys OffersIt is still the world’s best loved Irish cream liqueur, so it’s not surprising that 2000 glasses of Baileys are said to be consumed every minute. As well as the main ingredients, this indulgent tipple also includes hints of cocoa and vanilla for added richness. Since 2003, it has won an award each year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a more consistent run than any other competitor.
In 1971, distiller David Dand who worked for Gilbeys of Ireland began work on a new spirit. From the outset, he wanted to create something luxurious using two of Ireland's favourite ingredients, cream and whisky. After three years of attempting to blend the drink without it separating in the bottle, they succeeded. The original blend was launched in 1974 and many other flavours have since followed. In its various forms, Baileys is sold in more than 100 countries.
All liqueurs are a blend of one base spirit, known as the liquor, along with various other natural ingredients. Flavour can be added to the drink through a process of percolation, where the spirit is dripped through the ingredients and infuses them. Distillation is also used to create a characteristic taste, this is done once the other ingredients have been mixed with the spirit. Distillation extracts the various aromas from dry ingredients and imbues the drink with these elements.
Aside from their classic Irish cream drink, Baileys has created a line of other liqueurs and blends to suit various occasions and the personal preferences of shoppers. The Baileys drinks currently being sold in the UK include:
Baileys Iced Latte – Sold in a 200ml can, this blend of iced Arabica and Robusta coffee, milk, and Irish cream has an alcohol by volume content of 4%. It is intended to be drunk cold, straight from the fridge with a little ice. If you love the taste of Baileys with iced coffee and want a lighter, more convenient version of the drink, this could be an ideal choice.
Baileys Iced Mocha – Sold in a 200ml can with 4% ABV, this iced coffee blend also includes Arabica and Robusta flavours, combined with Baileys, milk, and another spirit. If you love notes of sweet chocolate in your iced coffee, this handy can is ideal for the occasional treat or when packed as part of a picnic.
Baileys Pumpkin Spice – Inspired by seasonal flavours from the USA, this warming autumnal liqueur also includes nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. It can be enjoyed over ice, or in a warm pumpkin latte, or as part of another Halloween dessert recipe. Baileys Pumpkin Spice is sold in 70cl bottles and contains an alcohol content of 17% by volume.
Baileys Chocolate Luxe – Perfect for chocolate lovers, this drink blends the original Irish cream with a generous helping of opulent Belgian chocolate. The two flavours create an extremely rich tipple, ideal for sipping cold or pouring on ice cream for a touch of everyday luxury. By volume, it has an alcohol content of 15.7% and it is usually sold in 50cl bottles.
Baileys Original Irish Cream – The original and for some people, still the best. Baileys Original Irish Cream balances the key ingredients of whisky and cream, with elements of cocoa and vanilla. The whisky is sourced from Irish distilleries, like Bushmills in County Antrim, whilst the rich dairy cream comes from Irish family farms. The 38,000 cows who supply 220 million litres of cream each year are affectionately known as the 'Baileys Ladies'. Baileys Original Irish Cream contains 17% alcohol by volume, it is sold in 1-litre bottles, 70cl bottles, and 35cl bottles.
Baileys Orange Truffle – Traditional Baileys combined with mouth-watering orange truffle in this decadent liqueur. This is a great way to round off a meal or add a touch of citrus zing to a creamy cocktail. A good choice for people who love the taste of orange, you could also take it to the next level by adding grated orange zest and ice cubes. It is sold in 1-litre bottles and has an alcohol by volume content of 17%.
Baileys Coffee – Combining the essence of roast coffee with the taste of Baileys Original, this version of the liqueur is incredibly versatile. It can be stirred into a hot chocolate for a mocha flavour, served as part of a cocktail, or poured over a dessert.
Baileys can be used around the kitchen in a number of ways. You can search for an official Baileys recipe on their website. Here, they have ideas for cocktails, desserts, and hot drinks all flavoured with the Irish cream liqueur.
One of the most popular and easy dishes with fans of the drink is the Baileys Cheesecake. A simple recipe for this can be found at BBC Goodfood.
There are also many other ways to enjoy the taste of Baileys, you can:
Add it to icing sugar to garnish a chocolate cake.
Pour into coffee instead of cream and sugar.
Use it as part of a rich truffle recipe.
Serve as a fresh fruit dip, for a more flavoursome alternative to double cream.
Add a few tablespoons into an ice-cream maker, for a special treat.
Lots of people love to drink it straight up with a little ice, but there are many different cocktails which can be embellished with a dash of Baileys, some of the best are:
Baileys Afternoon Delight – The ideal winter warmer, this cocktail is made by adding Baileys, Kahlúa and chocolate syrup to a warm coffee.
Boozy Milkshake – This cocktail can be whizzed up in a smoothie maker in a matter of seconds. Add Oreo biscuits, vanilla ice cream and milk, then blend, before tipping in 30ml of Baileys and blending a final time.
The Pirate Princess – This unusually named cocktail contains Baileys Irish Cream, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold, and whipped cream. Once the ingredients are well combined in a shaker, pour into a glass and top with chocolate sprinkles.
Raspberry Dream – A fresh and fruity option, this cocktail contains Baileys, along with a Raspberry Liqueur, like Chambord, and a coffee liqueur, like Tia Maria. Gently stir the ingredients together, pour into glasses and top with a fresh raspberry for decoration.
There are many types of gift that feature the Baileys Irish Cream branding, some are more widely available on the high street at Christmas or on special occasions, like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. However, online retailers tend to have a supply throughout the year. Some of the most popular Baileys gifts are:
Baileys truffles – The Baileys Truffle Bar and Truffles contain milk chocolate with a Baileys flavoured filling. Sold in a presentation box, they make an ideal gift for people with a sweet tooth but do contain an alcohol volume of 0.5%.
Baileys glass and miniature bottle sets – There are many variations on this basic gift set. Most contain a small bottle of one type of Baileys, along with a shot glass or two shot glasses, that feature the distillers branding. Others are made up of a number of small bottles, each containing a differently flavoured liqueur. Some online retailers who sell their products through eBay and Amazon will engrave the glass or glasses with a name or dedication of your choice. At Not on the High Street, you can buy a glass and the ingredients for a Baileys cocktail as a complete gift set.
Baileys chocolates – Blending the creamy taste of Original Baileys, with a perennial favourite of sweet-lovers, chocolate, these delicacies are extremely rich. Most packs contain a selection of white, milk and dark chocolate domes, filled with a Baileys truffle centre.
Although Baileys do not use any artificial preservatives in their products, they have managed to create the only Irish cream drink that stays fresh for two years. This impressive shelf life applies to bottles of Baileys with are kept opened or unopened, refrigerated or not. However, the bottles do need to be kept at a temperature above 0°C and below 25°C and stay out of direct sunlight during this time.
Baileys use gluten-free ingredients in their products, they state that "to the best of our knowledge", there is no trace of gluten in the liqueur. However, they stop short of guaranteeing that the product is safe for people on a strictly gluten-free diet and advise people to speak with a health care professional before drinking Baileys.
As the majority of Baileys recipes contain cream as a key ingredient, they are not suitable for people following a vegan diet. The good news is that a new vegan-friendly product, Baileys Almande, which was first released in the USA and Canada, will soon be available in the UK. It is produced using almond essence, sugar, water, sweet almond oil and vanilla.
Many people keep a bottle of Baileys as a treat for special occasions or for a small daily tipple. But due to its high cream and sugar content, it has 157 calories per shot. That’s around 30 more calories than you’ll consume in a shot of other liqueurs, like triple sec or Drambuie. So, Baileys is not the ideal drink for people who are monitoring their daily calorie intake.
It may sound strange, but according to research carried out by the University of South Carolina, whisky may have certain health benefits because it contains high levels of ellagic acid. This is known to slow the growth of cancers and kill cancerous cells, without damaging healthy tissue.
Baileys is available online, in high street stores, and in large supermarkets across the UK. You can buy a bottle as part of your weekly shop at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s or the Coop, or visit specialist online retailers like Slurp or Liquor Online. If you are searching for a speciality blend, or a seasonal product, like the Baileys Pumpkin Spice, it is better to shop online. This is because larger supermarkets and department stores tend to sell off all their seasonal stock as quickly as possible, to make room for the next event.
For many people, Christmas officially begins when the first bottle of Baileys is bought as part of the festive celebrations. It is extremely popular when served over ice at this time of year, or as an after-dinner drink. From early December, the different varieties of Baileys can usually be found in larger supermarkets, like Asda, Tesco and Morrison’s with a discounted price tag. On Black Friday, the same supermarkets, and online retailers like Amazon and eBay, take part in the event with deals of up to 60% off the Baileys collection.
This sumptuous range of liqueurs are luxury buys at any time of year, but on the hotukdeals brand page, there are numerous Baileys Irish Cream offers which are regularly updated. Shoppers can find new deals each day, so they can always be sure of getting the best price on a bottle of Baileys.
