Baileys Original Irish Cream

-Not bad, smells like creamer with alcohol and it’s smooth. Taste almost like chocolate milk with alcohol

Some people say that Bailey's is overrated and others say that there is no Irish cream that can compare. Well, I'm interested in trying the Kerrygold Irish cream because their butter is superb, but Bailey's is terrific. I taste the fat and the milk from the cream at first combined with some unobtrusive sugar. At the finish, the Irish whiskey takes over with a little bit of wood, some vanilla presence, and the slightest hint of apple. The finish ultimately turns a little bitter with a mild and dry chocolate flavor, making me want another sip. It's creamy and rich with sweetness and an appropriate amount of bitterness to balance it. It has this texture of eggnog that reminds me of Christmas, particularly when combined with the mild nutmeg, allspice, and clove notes. There's a tiny bit of a spicy bite, but it is very mild. The nose is sweet and creamy yet sour with a fair amount of bright fruit and floral notes. There's some vanilla and the slightest hint of wood, but it's hard to tell whether that is just an artifact of the cream. The palate is extremely viscous with some nice sweet creamy richness that brings some floral fruity notes to offset the alcohol. It's frankly quite sippable like eggnog and would be a good alternative during the holidays. The fruity and creamy elements on the nose combine to give it sort of a fruitcake vibe with candied fruits, nutmeg, and allspice. The finish could use some cleanup to reduce the alcohol and tart elements, but the sweetness avoids being oppressive and the result is generally good.

A classic that cannot really go unchallenged, but... With all its yummyness it would be nice if it was slightly thicker.