🥃 Baileys Original Irish Cream
Base expression of the Baileys brand: an Irish cream liqueur at 17% ABV, made with Irish whiskey, Irish cream, chocolate and vanilla; contains milk.
Baileys Original Irish Cream is the core expression of the Baileys brand and the reference point for Irish cream liqueur. According to the brand description, it combines Irish whiskey with spirit, Irish cream, chocolate and vanilla. Its strength is 17% ABV, and it contains milk.
According to Diageo, the liqueur is produced and bottled only in Ireland, using around 200 million litres of fresh milk a year. The technical specification for Irish Cream requires at least 15% ABV, at least 10% milk fat and at least 1% alcohol from Irish whiskey, and the mixture is homogenised. The product page suggests serving it chilled, on ice, in cocktails, over ice cream or in baking.
Why this matters to you. This is the base version against which the flavoured Baileys lines are easiest to compare. Because it contains milk, it is not a choice for a lactose-free diet; check the allergen information on the label. Despite its sweetness, it is 17% ABV. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1974 (per Diageo) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Irish Cream PGI; technical specification (DAFM, 2015) |
| Raw material | Irish cream, Irish whiskey with spirit, chocolate and vanilla |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 17% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Baileys Original Irish Cream → similar → 🥚 Egg and cream liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥛 Cream
- What it affects
- 🍷 Allergen labelling (contains sulphites), 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Baileys, 🥃 Irish Cream
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Baileys Chocolate, 🥃 Baileys Espresso Crème, 🥃 Baileys Chocolate, 🥃 Baileys Espresso Crème, 🥃 Baileys Salted Caramel, 🥃 Baileys White Chocolate with Raspberry, 🥃 Baileys Salted Caramel, 🥃 Baileys White Chocolate with Raspberry, 🥚 Egg and cream liqueurs, 🥃 Macieira Cream
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Baileys Original is the first cream liqueur in the world?
Diageo says so: according to its description, Baileys was the first cream liqueur in the world, created in 1974. This is the company's own claim.
What is the ABV of Baileys Original?
17% ABV according to the Baileys product page.
Does Baileys Original contain milk?
Yes. The product page lists milk and dairy products, including lactose, as an allergen.
What to read next
- 🥃 Baileys Chocolate — Chocolate version of Baileys: Original Irish Cream with Belgian chocolate; 15.7% ABV according to the brand's British page; contains milk.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥛 Cream — The fat-rich part of milk, at least 10% fat under the Codex: coffee cream at 10–18%, whipping cream at 35–40%.
- 🥚 Egg and cream liqueurs — Egg liqueur (advocaat): from 14% vol., made from yolks, whites, sugar or honey and a spirit, under EU rules.
- 🍷 Allergen labelling (contains sulphites) — The law requires labels to say "contains sulphites", and in the EU also egg and milk.
Similar
🥃 Baileys Chocolate · 🥃 Baileys Espresso Crème · 🥃 Baileys Salted Caramel · 🥃 Baileys White Chocolate with Raspberry · 🥃 Macieira Cream · 🥃 RumChata Original
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Diageo: Baileys, brand explorer (first cream liqueur, 1974; aged Irish whiskey, Irish dairy cream, cocoa and vanilla; made and bottled only in Ireland)
- Diageo: Baileys, liqueurs (Baileys Original, flavoured range of more than 10 flavours)
- Baileys (UK): Original Irish Cream (17 % ABV, allergen: milk)
- Technical file setting out the specifications with which Irish Cream must comply, DAFM (Ireland), Feb 2015 (copy on GOV.UK)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II (milk as allergen; legislation.gov.uk)
- World Health Organization: Alcohol fact sheet