The original Irish Cream Liqueur is a mixture of adult maturity and childhood joy.
Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur has a fascinating history. Back in 1971, Whiskey-maker Gilbey’s of Ireland was looking to develop a new product line for the global market. The parent company — Grand Metropolitan — put their best team on it who partnered with another subsidiary called Express Dairies which had a surplus of cream at the time due to the increased popularity of skim milk. The team experimented until they came up with the famous flavor profile. Grand Metropolitan was one of the founding companies of the beverage giant Diageo who own and operate the entire thing now.
Simply stated, Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur is an emulsified combination of Whiskey, fresh cream, and a proprietary mix of cocoa and herbs. The process not only ensures a long shelf life due to the natural preserving qualities of alcohol, but a delightful, dessert-like experience in the cup. The most common method of drinking Baileys Irish Cream is adding it to coffee or hot chocolate — perfect for a winter comfort. But it has also become a core ingredient in cocktails like Mudslide, Chocolatini, and Lucky Irishman.