2019 Top Ten Irish Cream Liqueurs

A little over 6 years ago we launched Best Tasting Spirits with our first spirit review.  That reviewed spirit was Baileys Irish Cream.  Since then we have reviewed 68 Irish Cream Liqueurs.  I don’t believe anyone has come close to reviewing as many as we have.  When it came time to select the Top Ten Irish Cream liqueurs we felt the only way to ensure we selected the best tasting Irish Creams was to sample fresh unopened bottles and review and rank them within a two week period.  Because it is unrealistic to taste, compare, and rank 68 different Irish creams in a two week period, we first eliminated Irish Country Creams.  Those are the Irish cream liqueurs made with wine instead of Irish whiskey.  We than eliminated all of the flavored Irish Cream liqueurs.  While all Irish creams are flavored we felt it was best to first find the 10 best tasting Irish creams and at a later date we will taste, rank, and review the top ten “self designated” flavored Irish Cream’s.  From there we selected our previously reviewed top Irish creams and the industries best selling Irish creams.  Over time some previously reviewed brands are no longer produced, and other brands have changed their formula.  One brand Michaels, was one of our previously highest scoring brands but it is only sold in Texas and we were unable to source a bottle.  In the end we selected 18.  That group includes Baileys, Bradys, Calahans, Carolans, Coole Swan, Dempseys, Emmets, Five Farms, Kavanaugh, Kerrygold, Kirkland, McCleary’s, Merrys, Mollys, Mullins, O’Connery’s, Saint Brendans, and Trader Joes Golden Vale.  To help differentiate between the different brands we adjusted our scoring as follows:

87-90 Silver Medal

91-94 Gold Medal

95-100 Double Gold Medal

How serious was I in selecting the Top Ten.  First I reviewed each of the 18 over a 4 day period.  I did this without looking at our previous reviews so as not to influence these reviews.  I then compared brands in groups of 2 and 3 head to head over a 10 day period.  When the testing was complete I had not only put a significant dent in each bottle, but I had gained 5 pounds.  I guess this is what they call taking one for the team.  So how well did each brand perform and who came out on top?

 Baileys Irish Cream:   The leader of the pack.  Not only the first Irish cream liqueur, the first cream liqueur.  Bailey’s outsells all of the other Irish cream liqueurs combined.  The aroma is cocoa, fresh dairy cream, and Irish whiskey.  The sweet cream, vanilla, and cocoa entry is joined by a cream softened whiskey taste building to a chocolate shake peak.  It fades with vanilla custard, a hint of coconut, and caramel brownie taste.  The luxurious finish was fresh cream, cocoa, and Irish whiskey taste.  Score 95  Award Double Gold Medal 

Brady’s Irish Cream: The aroma is cocoa, coffee, and cream with a hint of butterscotch.  The sweet creamy chocolate entry builds to a sweet vanilla, cocoa, cream, and whiskey peak.  It fades with toffee, cinnamon, and mocha.  The finish brings butterscotch, sweet whiskey and coffee ice cream taste.  Score 91  Award Gold Medal

Calahan’s: The aroma is butterscotch, caramel, and cream with a whiskey backing.  The sweet caramel and cream entry builds to a whiskey and butterscotch ice cream peak.  It fades with orange creamsicle flavor and finishes with orange sherbet and whiskey taste.  Score 90  Award Silver Medal

Carolans: The second or third best selling Irish cream in the US.  Possibly ahead in bottles sold probably behind in volume sold vs. Kirkland Irish cream.  The only Irish cream made with honey.  The aroma is Butterscotch, vanilla, honey, and cream with a subtle whiskey backing.  The sweet honey, marshmallow, and whiskey entry builds to a smooth and creamy honey peak.  It fades with vanilla leaving honey and whiskey taste.  Score 89  Award Silver Medal

Coole Swan: The first super premium Irish cream liqueur.  Made with Double cream, Single malt Irish whiskey, Madagascar vanilla, and Dark cocoa from the Cote d’Ivoire region.  The aroma is Belgian chocolate, frozen strawberry, cream cheese, and whiskey.  The sweet double cream and cocoa entry is joined by vanilla, whiskey and subtle strawberry, building to a silky Belgian chocolate peak.  It fades with fresh strawberry and cream, Godiva chocolate, and smooth malt whiskey.  The finish has cheesecake, cocoa and mild whiskey taste.  Score 93  Award Gold Medal 

Dempsey’s: Relatively new, Dempsey’s replaced Delaney’s as Kroger’s store brand.  The aroma is whiskey cream and cocoa.  Additional time in the glass brings out coffee, toffee, and butterscotch notes.  The whipped cream and sweet whiskey entry is joined by caramel and cocoa building to a thick chocolate malt peak.  It fades with anise, bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, and mocha.  The finish brings a healthy dose of whiskey warmth and flavor.  Score 89  Award Silver Medal

Emmets: The second commercially produced Irish cream.  At one time this was produced at the same plant as Baileys.  It may still be the case.  Little product information is available.  The aroma is chocolate, coconut, and whiskey.  The sweet vanilla and dairy cream entry is joined by cocoa and subtle whiskey building to a creamy chocolate coconut ice cream peak.  It fades with vanilla, cream, caramel, and coconut.  The finish has chocolate coconut and mild whiskey taste.  This is one of the best tasting Irish Cream liqueurs, but it is also one of the thinnest.  Score 93.5  Award Gold Medal

Five Farms: The second super premium Irish cream.  You can expect to pay a premium.  It is produced for McCormick brands.  The aroma is butterscotch, whiskey, cream, vanilla, caramel, and strawberry.  The sweet whiskey, strawberry, cream, and caramel entry is joined by vanilla building to a butterscotch chocolate ice cream peak.  It fades with strawberry, toffee, and dark chocolate.  The finish brings runny salted caramel, cocoa fresh cream and whiskey flavor leaving butterscotch taste.  Score 90.5  Award Silver Medal

Kavanaugh: This is one of several brands produced for Total Wine and More.  This one is made by Terra.  The aroma is chocolate and cream with a whiskey backing.  The sweet chocolate ice cream entry is joined by vanilla, coconut, and dairy cream.  It fades with chocolate milk shake flavor and finishes with creamy chocolate coconut cream, and whiskey taste.  Score 92  Award Gold Medal

Kerrygold Irish Cream: Another Terra produced brand.  The Kerrygold name is world renown for its Irish butter and cheese.  The aroma is chocolate butterscotch and whiskey.  The thick creamy vanilla and fresh cream entry builds to a double chocolate cocoa peak.  It fades with extra creamy bittersweet double chocolate fudgesicle flavor.  The finish has French silk chocolate, and whiskey taste.  Score 91  Award Gold Medal

Kirkland Irish Cream: This brand is sold exclusively at Costco and sold in 1.75 liter bottles.  Priced at $14.99 Kirkland is probably the best buy for a Gold Medal quality Irish cream liqueur.  The aroma is caramel corn, chocolate, coffee, caramel, cream and whiskey.  The sweet vanilla, cocoa, and caramel entry is joined by chocolate ice cream and whiskey.  It fades with chocolate, cream, caramel, and whiskey.  The finish brings mocha, hazelnut, cream and whiskey taste.  Score 92 Award Gold Medal

McCleary’s Irish Cream:  This is a brand sold at Binny’s Beverage Depot, a 42 unit liquor superstore chain located in Illinois, with 37 stores located in the Chicagoland market, and Specs, a Texas superstore chain with 139 locations.  It is produced by Robert Merry Company and it has their trademark flavor profile.  The aroma is butterscotch, whiskey, vanilla, whiskey, and cream.  Additional time in the glass brings out some orange notes.  The sweet orange and cream entry is joined by subtle whiskey building to a bright orange and butterscotch peak.  It fades with marshmallow joining the orange.  The finish brings orange, caramel, and cream leaving whiskey taste and a mild whiskey burn. Score 89 Award Silver Medal

Merry’s Irish Cream: Merry’s produces more brands of Irish cream than any other.  This is their flagship brand.  The aroma is butterscotch lifesaver, cream, and whiskey.  The butterscotch pudding entry is joined by vanilla custard building to a chocolate orange whiskey peak.  It fades with orange creamsicle flavor.  The finish bring butterscotch orange peel, fresh cream and whiskey taste.  Score 90  Award Silver Medal

Mollys: Produced by Terra.  This is their flagship brand.  The aroma is milk chocolate, fresh dairy cream and whiskey.  Additional time in the glass brings out cocoa and vanilla custard notes.  The sweet milk chocolate and fresh cream entry builds to a sweet whiskey peak.  It fades with cocoa, caramel and a hint of orange.  The silky finish has chocolate and fresh dairy cream taste.  Score 93.5  Award Gold Medal

Mullins Irish Cream:  Produced by Merry’s, this is Walmart’s house brand of Irish cream.  Mullens is increasingly harder to find at Walmart stores.  The aroma is butterscotch, caramel, and orange with a whiskey backing.  Additional time in the glass brings out bittersweet chocolate notes.  The sweet orange and cream entry builds to a bright orange cream peak.  It fades with vanilla and whipped cream.  The finish brings sweet whiskey, butterscotch, whole orange, vanilla, and cream, leaving orange peel, black licorice, subtle bittersweet chocolate, whiskey flavor and a whiskey burn.  Score 88 Award Silver Medal

O’Connery’s: The is the house brand of Safeway/Albertson’s.  It replaced O’Connor’s Irish Cream.  The aroma is swiss chocolate ice cream.  The chocolate shake entry has a thick mouth feel.  Whiskey and cream join the chocolate building to a thick creamy chocolate moose peak.  It fades with mild whiskey joining the mix.  The whiskey flavor builds but never overwhelms leaving French silk pie and whiskey taste.  Score 94  Award Gold Medal

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Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream:  One of the top selling Irish cream liqueurs.  The aroma, vanilla, cocoa, and whiskey.  The sweet vanilla, whiskey, and cream entry has a thick luxurious feel.  Milk chocolate arrives building to a chocolate marshmallow peak.  It fades with cocoa, heavy cream, and sweet whiskey.  Score 93 Award Gold Medal

Trader Joe’s Golden Vale: As the name would suggest this is Trader Joe’s house brand.  The aroma is butterscotch lifesaver, orange, caramel, and cream.  The sweet butterscotch and vanilla custard entry is joined by caramel, orange and fresh cream building to a bright creamy orange peak.  It fades with sweet whiskey, orange creamsicle and mild anise taste.  Score 89  Award Silver Medal

Conclusion: Taste is subjective.  Irish Cream Liqueur’s differ in their flavor profile.  In reviewing these 17 Irish Creams I detected flavors including chocolate, cocoa, cream, caramel, vanilla, orange, whiskey, Belgian chocolate, coconut, licorice, cream cheese, dark chocolate, marshmallow, toffee, coffee, custard, brownie, strawberry, cinnamon, mocha, hazel nuts, and butterscotch.  They also differ in consistency ranging from thin to thick.  The Irish creams were testing at approximately 34 degrees, in my opinion this was the ideal temperature.  That said here is our top ten list. 

Top Ten Irish Cream Liqueurs

1. Baileys Original Irish Cream
2. O’Connery’s Irish Cream
3. Emmets Classic
4. Molly’s Irish Cream
5. Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream
6. Coole Swan Irish Cream
7. Kavanaugh Irish Cream
8. Kirkland Irish Cream
9. Kerrygold Irish Cream
10. Brady’s Irish Cream