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Fans of fine Irish creams have been debating the better brand for as long as the beloved liqueur has been around.
Between Baileys Irish cream and Carolans, you have two great liqueurs made from Irish whiskey and cream, each fulfilling a distinct flavor profile.
Each brand comes with a particular selection of tastes, undertones, and highlights. These characteristics and factors like body and preferred serving method determine the best Irish cream for you.
We’ll be taking you through a comparison of Baileys vs Carolans so that you know which luxurious drink is best suited to your palette.
Bailey’s and Corolans Irish Cream Compared
| Baileys Irish Cream | Carolans Irish Cream | |
| Origin | Ireland | United Kingdom |
| Flavor | Pronounced Cream And Individual Notes | Blended Sweet Dessert Flavor |
| Looks | Instantly Recognizable Original Irish Cream | Elegant, Sophisticated, And Embellished |
| Uses | Better Suited To Alcohol Rich Drinks | Better Suited To Desserts |
| Strength | 17% Alcohol | 14% Alcohol |
Carolans vs Baileys Irish Cream
Baileys Irish Cream Overview
Baileys Irish Cream lasts unopened for two years, standing proud as the original alcoholic blend of whiskey and cream.
It’s one of the only Irish cream liqueurs that uses no preservatives to stabilize the milk. Let’s take a closer look at this fine beverage.
Where Baileys Irish Cream Originates
Baileys Irish Cream is the original Irish cream. It emerged as the first commercially available Irish cream liqueur.
As the oldest brand in existence, Baileys arrived as a product of the acclaimed Gilbeys of Ireland, who preceded the amalgamated International Distillers & Vintners.
Bailey’s unique cream preserving formula has been on our shelves since 1974.
Baileys Irish Cream Flavor
With a bittersweet body and subtle touches of coffee, the taste of whiskey comes through strong but is dampened considerably by the cream.
Mature, earthy tones reminiscent of Jameson blanket the silky sweetness perfectly accentuated by touches of chocolate.
Each ingredient can be tasted individually and like a symphony of richness that matches its fullness in pure simplicity.
Baileys Irish Cream is also the only liqueur that guarantees its full flavor two years after opening the bottle.
Presentability/Looks of Baileys Irish Cream
As the brand that started the Irish Cream craze, Baileys has had to keep up with a lot of competition. The unmistakable black bottle stands out on any shelf and makes for an instantly recognizable gift.
There’s no denying its immediate appeal, nor the connotation of superior quality, that comes to mind when seeing the contrasting red logo with white lettering.
The original Irish Cream itself is an inviting shade of light brown, resembling a blend of coffee and slushy but smooth soft serve.
What Baileys Irish Cream Is Used For
Baileys is the type of liqueur that you’ll love if you like cream in your coffee. Whether on the rocks or mixed, it’s a great drink for those who like subdued sweetness.
If you decide to mix your Baileys, make sure you keep it away from citrus and any acidic substances, or the cream will curdle.
Here are the most common ways to serve Baileys Irish Cream:
- Mixing Baileys with coffee is the prime serving suggestion, and darker roasts are recommended.
- Baileys on ice is a go-to for most fans and a great way to get the full flavor.
- Cold brew coffee and Baileys are the favorites of iced coffee fans with a taste for creamy drinks.
- Serve atop your favorite flavor of ice cream.
- Hot chocolate and Baileys pairs wonderfully together
- A range of cocktails and shooters are possible using Baileys Irish Cream.
- While suited to desserts, the taste of alcohol is prominent.
Baileys Irish Cream Strength
The alcohol content by volume of Baileys Irish Cream is 17% despite being low compared to whiskey at between 52% and 66%.
This concentration is still enough for the taste of alcohol to come through slowly.
As the stronger Irish cream, notes of chocolate and vanilla are weaker, and the earthy flavor of whiskey pervades highlight and undertone.
Carolans Irish Cream Overview
Carolans arrived seven years after Baileys but has been consistently rising in popularity. As the sweeter of the two Irish cream liqueurs, fans love its slightly less alcoholic taste.
Let’s explore what makes Carolans Irish Cream special.
Where Carolans Irish Cream Originates
Carolans Irish Cream may be a derivative of Irish whiskey, but it’s not a blend that’s native to Ireland. A Scottish family company called William Grant & Sons established Carolans in the United Kingdom in 1978.
Today, Carolans is manufactured in County Tipperary in Ireland but owned by a Kentucky-based distillery, Heaven Hill.
Carolans Irish Cream Flavor
Instead of the pure untainted, dairy flavor of cream pervading each drop, Carolans brings a wild quality to its liqueur. Organic honey adds a smoky textured taste and to the subtle hints of woody whiskey forming the body.
The blend is far more blended, joining vanilla flavors and cocoa undertones into a single creamy infusion. With all the main flavors combined, it’s sweeter and sharper than Baileys.
Presentability/Looks of Carolans Irish Cream
Without the label, one could be fooled into thinking you’re looking at the same product. Baileys and Carolans both have black bottles, but the latter is more shapely and slightly longer.
Presentation can’t be faulted across-the-board, with embellishments like the embossed signature and badge makes for great touches. It’s a gift that’ll instantly intrigue.
What Carolans Irish Cream Is Used For
Even though all Irish cream liqueurs share similar qualities, the taste of Carolans blends dairy more than the defined flavor of cream in Baileys.
The honey intensifies the sweetness, making Carolans Irish Cream a favorite of dessert lovers and those serving food and drink that aren’t meant to be alcoholic by nature.
Baileys and Carolans share most of their uses:
- Carolans mixes well with coffee, suiting medium to full-bodied roasts best.
- The sweetness and balanced flavor profile make Carolans great for desserts.
- Just as is the case with Baileys, Carolans and hot chocolate is a near-perfect match.
- Iced coffee with Carolans is a trendy serving suggestion.
- Several cocktails are recommended by Carolans Irish Cream.
- Arguably not as popular as Baileys, but Carolans can be enjoyed as-is on ice.
Carolans Irish Cream Strength
Although the declared strength of Carolans is set at 17%, the alcohol content by volume is only 14%. It is 3% weaker in alcohol concentration than Baileys, but this slight difference makes a noticeable impact to taste.
The earthy fullness of whiskey gives way to the other highlights and richness of the cream. Many prefer Carolans Irish Cream for desserts and over ice cream because there’s a less boozy flavor to its blend.
Final Verdict
There’s no clear answer on which Irish cream liqueur is the best for your personal sense of taste. Carolans Irish Cream is sweeter with less of a traditional whiskey taste.
For strong undertones of whiskey with coffee and vanilla that come through clear, Baileys Irish Cream is your best bet.
We recommend trying both so that you discover which unique multidimensional flavor you like best. You may find that you’ve got a favorite for each type of drink, or perhaps desserts and ice cream alone.
Okay, this is the scoop between Bailey’s and Carolan’s. My favorite cocktail is an Irish Car Bomb. I’ve been using Carolan’s forever, but the market in my last two visits has been out of Carolan’s which is half the cost of Bailey’s which comes in at $22 dollars a bottle. So, I was forced to buy Bailey’s. OMG! The difference is palatable as Bailey’s does not have the body of Carolan’s and it does not blend with the Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey and you get three different tastes, rather than a synthesis of the Guinness, the Bushmill’s, and the Irish Cream.
Carolan’s is by far superior to the Bailey’s for Irish Car Bombs.
Carolans is superior in taste and ingredients. And half.the cost of the other. Carolans is the clear winner.