BAILEYS IRISH CREAM is not normally a drink I would drink, but you know how it is at Crimbo, you rummage around in your stockings and have a feel at the goodies (or is that just me?). And lo and behold, there's always a bottle of something-or-other from someone-or-other cunningly wrapped in a long, slim gift-bag that possibly cost more than the contents.
Being thought of as a bit of a 'jakey' - quite erroneously, as it happens - I am usually inundated with all sorts of alcoholic treats. (It's a sair fecht!)
I have a theory that certain bottles of liqueurs and wines never actually get drunk, but are passed from person to person as unwanted gifts. Think about it. If you've celebrated a 21st or 40th birthday or perhaps a Silver Wedding anniversary, how many bottles of Champagne did you receive? How many did you drink?

These bottles are forever wandering the twilight netherworld of gift-bags and dark, forgotten cupboards, condemned to a life of sealed abstinence.

I feel in some way that it's my solemn duty to break this viscous circle of limbo ..... that's right, I'll pour anything down my neck.

BAILEYS IRISH CREAM is a blend of Irish whiskey and cream, with a touch of vanilla, chocolate and sugar. It first appeared when it was introduced by Gilbeys of Ireland in 1974 and has gone on to be one of the most popular drinks worldwide.
It's now owned by the huge multi-national, Diageo plc, who are responsible for Burger King, Smirnoff and Guinness, and many other well-known brands.
If you're interested in the history of the company, and who wouldn't be? Take a trip to their website at:
http://www.baileys.com

Alternatively, sit back and relax, kick off your shoes, and ....whoa, maybe you should just keep those feet covered, Ms ellie. Anyway, as I was saying, there now follows my tasting notes of this popular drink.



BAILEYS pours a thick and v
iscous, totally opaque, coffee-cream colour - not the most appealing shade, it has to be said (think magnolia paint). Hmm, the more I look at it, I'm visualising dirty puddle water - I know the cream is going to do that, but it looks horrible!
The aroma is quite noticeably alcoholic with the whiskey really making its presence felt. It's a little like a vanilla ice-cream with a slightly herbal undertone - fennel perhaps?
It has the mouthfeel of a thin, milkshake and the taste is ....wait for it, creamy. It's very sweet, and rich and creamy up front, but the whiskey gives it a good kick at the back of the throat. I don't really taste any chocolate from it, but I do sense a faint coffeeish flavour. It finishes surprisingly less sweet than I would have imagined but it still has a somewhat overwhelming, cloying stickiness which leads to a fairly pleasant and warming alcohol aftertaste.

* The Verdict *

At 17% ABV, this is just a little too sweet and sickly for my palate. One is fine, but any more than that and I'd be hard pushed to hold on to it. The whiskey flavour is reasonably gentle so even if you can't stand the taste of that particular tipple, it doesn't follow that you won't like Baileys .... unless you don't like cream as well, then you're really wasting your time!
Served cool, it makes a pleasant after-dinner liqueur, but personally, I'd sooner have a proper Irish, or Gaelic coffee. It's a nice enough occasional drink, but I don't think I'll be discarding my stocks of quality ale just yet.

Would I drink it again? - Only if you're buying.


For a litre bottle you will pay around £18-19, unless you can get it on offer - it's not the cheapest drink around, that's for sure. For me, a litre seems an awful lot of Baileys, about 900ml too much - thankfully, it's possible to buy a 50ml miniature for about £2.


Baileys can also be
used in lots of cocktails and here are a few recipes:

* GREASY MICK

1 part Baileys
1 part tequilla

* SCREAMING LEPRECHAUN

6 oz Guinness
3 oz Baileys
6 oz dark rum
1 oz Grenadine
2 oz Midori
2 oz Creme de Menthe

Mix and pour over crushed ice in a pint glass, garnish with pineapple chunks.

* TIGHT FIT

1/3 shot vodka
1/3 shot Baileys
1/3 shot Creme de Cacao
1 shot half and half (light cream)

* WEE SCOTCH DRAM

3 parts Baileys
2 parts Drambuie
1 part Scotch whisky


You get the idea. If you're interested in more cocktail ideas using Baileys, there are plenty more at the following website:
http://www.online-cocktail-guide.com/01-baileys-c ocktails.htm



Thanks for reading,
Sláinte


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