🥃 Baileys

Baileys is a brand of Irish cream liqueur (Irish Cream) owned by the British company Diageo. It was launched in 1974 as the first cream liqueur on the market. It contains Irish whiskey, fresh Irish cream, cocoa and vanilla; Baileys Original is 17% ABV. The liqueur is made and bottled only on the island of Ireland.

The drink of whiskey and cream was developed in the early 1970s for the company Gilbeys of Ireland. The Irish Cream technical specification mentions that the first Irish cream liqueurs were presented in Dublin in 1974, which created a new drink category. Later the name Irish Cream became a geographical indication that in the EU can be carried only by a liqueur from the island of Ireland.

According to the specification, such a liqueur contains at least 10% milk fat from fresh pasteurised cream of Irish milk, and part of the alcohol must be Irish whiskey. Cream and alcohol do not mix on their own, so the blend is homogenised with an emulsifier until the fat globules are smaller than 5 microns. The producer stresses that the alcohol itself acts as the preservative. According to Diageo, about 200 million litres of fresh Irish milk go into Baileys every year.

Besides Original, Diageo makes more than ten flavoured variants, such as Salted Caramel, Strawberries & Cream, Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice, as well as dairy-free versions, for example the almond-based Almande.

Why it matters to you. Baileys contains milk, an allergen that is declared on the label; dairy-free versions are marked separately. The producer guarantees the taste for 24 months from the date of manufacture at 0 to 25 °C out of direct sunlight, so a closed glass bottle does not need a fridge. Despite the sweet taste, this is a 17% ABV drink. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.