~Baileys~
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Baileys has always been one of those must have winter time drinks that ends up being bought around xmas time and sometimes sits lurking on the back of a cupboard or fridge for months afterwards until it finally gets emptied. I sometimes feel that the idea of a glass of Baileys is actually nicer than the drink itself, although I do rather like the odd glass of it over ice and often use it in cooking. The blend of ingredients in the original Baileys drink mixes a creamy base with Irish whiskey that comes from the Old Midleton Distillery in County Cork. I find that the strong feel of the whiskey leaves a warm honeyed taste at the back of your tongue that blends well with the fresh cream that is used to soften the feel of the drink.

The feel of the drink has a slightly chocolatey nature that works well with the whiskey base and I find that I prefer it chilled from the fridge if there is no ice available, as it lessens the rather sweet taste that you get when sipping a room temperature Baileys au natural. Baileys not only has a sweetness to it that comes through with each mouthful, but it also has a strong alcoholic base that runs all the way through and leaves a strong after taste with each sip. The drink is quite high in calories which is something that I feel is a negative point, as there are around 327 calories per 100mls of Baileys. This is something that makes this a treat drink rather than something I would want to drink on a regular basis.

One thing I find handy with this product is that I can also use it in cooking to flavour a wide variety of food items to good effect. I have used Baileys to make home made dark chocolate and cream truffles which end up tasting very yummy. I have also used Baileys in home made cookies mixed in with chocolate chips which I feel gives a really nice amount of flavour as well as enhancing the gooey texture of the cookie at the same time. Plain vanilla ice cream can be enhanced with a mix of warmed milk chocolate and Baileys made in to a whiskey based pouring sauce that really adds a touch of luxury. There are so many ways you can use Baileys in home cooking that it is worth keeping a little just for that purpose.


~The price~
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The cost of Baileys does tend to change depending on the time of year, but there are very often some good offers which make it a better buy. I feel that at the higher end of the price range, Baileys is something I wouldn't want to over spend on, as it can cost anything up to £21 for a full sized 1 litre bottle. I have bought Baileys for much less, at closer to £12 for a 1 litre bottle which I feel is much better value for money. There are a number of versions of the drink which have other flavours added to change the taste of the drink but these are not as good as the original in my opinion.


~Product rating~
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As a treat style drink to be enjoyed cooled over ice I feel Baileys works well every now and then. I like the blend of flavours if taken a little at a time and have been able to use the product to good effect in home cooking. The product bottle is rather bulky in shape and takes up more room in a fridge or cupboard than some other 1 litre bottles do, but the look and feel of the product bottle does have a slight touch of luxury to it that makes it something you could give as a gift if wanted. Over all I feel that Baileys is a nice product that can be stored for some time once opened and my rating for it is 4 stars.