Baileys Original Irish Cream is a unique blend of fresh Irish dairy cream, Irish whisky and natural flavours.
^^^History^^^
In 1971 the senior managers committee of Gilbeys of Ireland had an idea to make a uniquely Irish drink that reflected Irelands heritage, agriculture and distilling traditions. Whilst the concept of this drink was fairly simple the actual recipe was proving difficult and cream and whiskey do not mix together naturally. By 1973 the recipe was perfected and all the issues with production in bulk and shelf life where resolved.
1974 - the year of the Baileys launch - hurray . By 1979 over 1 million cases where being sold around the world and in the 1980’s it became the fashion to drink Baileys over ice which is still one of my favourite drinks today.
What the bottle looks like
The particular bottle I have has a flat bottom and is circular shaped, the bottle then goes out slightly to broad shoulder and quickly narrows to a neck. The colour of the glass very dark brown to black dependant of what type of lighting you are looking at it in. The bottle has a screw top and this is black in colour. Around the next is a black and green label, the black part is much larger than the green part and has a signature in gold on it of R a Bailey. On the green strip which is separated frmt he black by a gold line it says ’product of Ireland. The is a swirly pattern actually raised on the glass just on the neck and the front of the bottle with the swirls being contained in a circle.
The Label at the front clearly states Baileys, the original Irish cream and again contains the signature of RA Bailey.
The content of the bottle is 1 litre although you can get smaller ones.
Alcohol content is 17%/ vol. The label to the rear of the bottle tells us to store between 5 to 25 degrees c, has an expiry date (mine expires Nov 2007 and most certainly will not last that long). Also shown is a description of what Baileys is, name of the distribution company and advised that there are a total of 17 UK units contained in the bottle.
Making the drink
No. 1 - the favoured Baileys over Ice.
Easy to make and I generally offer this at the end of a meal with friends. Prepare in advance a tray of ice cubes to ensure that they are frozen solid as this makes them last longer and gives just the right amount of chill to your drink. Place 2 or 3 large ice cubes in a tumbler, if you don’t have any tumblers then any glass will do as this does not affect the flavour. Next take you Baileys out of the cupboard/drinks cabinet or wherever you store your drinks (note even though Baileys contains cream there is no need to store it in a fridge) and pour over the ice. This consistency of the baileys is creamy and slightly thicker than a normal spirit and I would say thicker then other cream liquors on the market, and thus clings to the ice cubes as you pour it over which looks quite attractive.
----The smell----
Ah now you will either love this or hate this, definitely can smell the whiskey content here but not harsh on the nose and has a sweet aroma about it. I am expecting the drink to taste sweet and no to have the harsh taste that is often associated with a whiskey (particularly if not a good one).
----The taste----
Now before I taste I normally wait a good few minutes for the ice to start to chill the drink as I like it this way, you will also start to notice a slight change in colour as the ice melts, the Baileys goes slightly lighter when it is chilled. Now for that 1st all important sip, gently swirl the glass around to ensure that there are no warm spots and sip.. My taste buds are bombarded with a wonderful creamy liquid with the taste of whiskey lingering after I have swallowed.
==My Opinion=
Now not being a particular fan of whiskey I was pleasantly surprised to find that I love this drink and yes have over the years purchased many a bottle and thoroughly enjoyed them with friends. One of the best times for me to drink this is Christmas eve, all the presents are wrapped, children are finally in bed, veg is a prepared for the next day and I can do no more other than sit and chill for half an hour.
----How else can you dink Baileys-----
Here are some other ways to enjoy your Baileys
A Baileys smoothie
Fill smoothie maker with ice cubes up to the ¾ level, add Baileys and give it a blast, this will ensure that you have a thoroughly cooled drink to enjoy on tap or to share.
A Baileys Milkshake
1 shot of Baileys to 3 measures of milk, add some chocolate ice cream and some rum and vanilla essence. Put in a blender / smoothie maker and serve in a tall glass - really refreshing and very creamy.
You can also use Baileys in food.
Baileys and Toffee Pecan Sauce - ideal for pouring over a Banoffee or plain cheescake.
For this you need
3oz (75g) soft brown sugar
2oz (50g) granulated sugar
5oz (150g) golden syrup
3fl oz (75fl g) double cream
2fl oz (55fl g) Baileys Irish Cream
few drops vanilla extract.
How to make it
Place the butter, sugars and syrup in a saucepan and allow to dissolve on a very low heat. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in the cream and vanilla extract and stir until everything is smooth then add the rest of the pecan nuts. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before adding the Baileys and pouring into a serving jug.
Finally for those of you watching you waistline Baileys is Laden with calories and can be very sickly if you drink too much of it, also you need not worry too much if you only drink this occasionally as Baileys has a shelf life of around 12 months.