 Baileys Irish Cream | |
| Type | Liqueur |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Diageo; previouslyGilbeys of Ireland |
| Distributor | Diageo |
| Origin | Ireland |
| Introduced | 1974 |
| Alcohol by volume | 17.0% |
| Website | Official website |
Baileys Irish Cream is aliqueur made ofcream,cocoa andIrish whiskeyemulsified together withvegetable oil. Baileys is made byDiageo at Nangor Road, inDublin, Ireland, and inMallusk,Northern Ireland. It is the original Irish cream, invented by a team headed byTom Jago in 1971 forGilbeys of Ireland; Diageo currently owns the trademark. It has a declaredalcohol content of 17%by volume.[1]
Baileys Irish Cream was created in London by advertising executiveTom Jago,[2] working from a marketing brief issued byGilbeys of Ireland, a division ofInternational Distillers & Vintners. Gilbeys was searching for something to introduce to the international market. The process of finding a product began in 1971, and production research began in earnest after consultants David Gluckman, Hugh Seymour-Davies and Mac Macpherson[3] came up with an alcoholic drink made ofIrish whiskey andcream that, they remarked, "didn't taste punishing".[2][4] David Gluckman also came up with the idea of naming it "Baileys", after "Bailey’s Bistro", a tinyrestaurant beneath their office inGreek Street,Soho,London, next to thePillars of Hercules pub.[5][2]
The formulation of Baileys was motivated partly by the availability of alcohol from a money-losing distillery (part of International Distillers & Vintners, and probably W&A Gilbey)[6] and a desire to use surplus cream from another business,Express Dairies, owned byGrand Metropolitan, resulting from the increased popularity of semi-skimmed milk.[7] It included alcohol, cream and the chocolate milk-based drink powderNesquik produced byNestle;[7] the initial formulation process took approximately 45 minutes.[2]
Baileys was introduced in 1974 as the firstIrish cream on the market. The name is that of a restaurant owned by John Chesterman, who granted W&A Gilbey permission to use it. The fictionalR.A. Bailey signature was inspired byThe Bailey's Hotel in London,[8][9] though the registeredtrademark omits the apostrophe.
Cream andIrish whiskey from various distilleries[10] arehomogenised to form anemulsion with the aid of an emulsifier containing refined vegetable oil. The process prevents the separation of alcohol and cream during storage. Baileys contains a proprietary cocoa extract recipe giving Baileys its chocolate character and essence.[11] The number of other ingredients is not known, but they includeherbs,sugar,[12]vanilla andcaramel.[13]
According to the manufacturer, no preservatives are required as the alcohol content preserves the cream. The cream used in the drink comes fromTirlán, an Irish dairy company. Tirlán's Virginia facility inCounty Cavan produces a range of fat-filled milk powders and fresh cream. It has been the principal cream supplier to Baileys Irish Cream Liqueurs for more than 30 years. At busier times of the year, Tirlán also supplies cream from its Ballyragget facility in Kilkenny.[citation needed]Baileys bottles are manufactured solely at Encirc Glass Plant in Derrylin, County Fermanagh.
The manufacturer claims Baileys Irish Cream has a shelf life of 24 months and guarantees its taste for two years from the day it was made—opened or unopened, refrigerated or not—when stored away from direct sunlight at temperatures between 0 and 25 °C (32 and 77 °F).[14]
| Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrate | 24 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Energy | 1,345 kJ (327 kcal) |
As with milk, cream willcurdle whenever it comes into contact with a weak acid. Milk and cream containcasein, whichcoagulates when mixed with weak acids such as lemon,tonic water, or traces ofwine. While this outcome is undesirable in most situations, some cocktails (such as the cement mixer, which consists of a shot of Baileys mixed with the squeezed juice from a slice of lime) specifically encourage coagulation.
In 2003, Bailey & Co. launched Baileys Glide, aimed at thealcopop market. It was discontinued in 2006.[15]
In 2005, Baileys launchedmint chocolate andcrème caramel variants at 17% ABV. They were originally released in UK airports and were subsequently released in the mass markets of the UK, US, Australia and Canada in 2006.
In 2008, Baileys, after the success of previous flavour variants, released a coffee variant, followed by a hazelnut-flavoured variant in 2010.[16] The company trialled a new premium variety, Baileys Gold, at several European airports in 2009.[17] The Gold version also was marketed towards the Japanese consumer.[18] 2011, Baileys launched a Biscotti flavour, and a sub-brand premium product Baileys Chocolat Luxe, which combined Belgian chocolate with Baileys, in 2013. The company released a Vanilla-Cinnamon variety in the US market in 2013, with further flavours, Pumpkin Spice, Espresso and Salted Caramel launching the following year.[19]
From 2016 to 2018, Baileys Coffee Mocha and Latte was available in cans across the UK and Europe. In 2017, Baileys launched theirPumpkin Spice flavoured liqueur, as well as their vegan-friendly Baileys Almande, described as a blend of "sweet almond oil, cane sugar and a touch of real vanilla".[20]
Baileys have continued to release new varieties, including Strawberries & Cream (2018)[21], Red Velvet Cupcake (2019)[22], Apple Pie (2020)[23], Pina Colada (2021 & 2023)[24],S'more (2022)[25], Vanilla Mint Shake (2023)[26], Cinnamon Churros (2024)[27], Cinnamon Swirl (2025)[28] and Terry's Chocolate Orange (September 2025).
