Baileys is a true feat of marketing. You might think the original Irish cream was created in some ancient pub. But, in fact, Baileys Irish Cream was invented by a London advertising executive in 1971. Created as a way to sell Irish whiskey to an international market, original Baileys is a blend of whiskey, cream, and cocoa (along with other flavorings and emulsifiers). It’s now the world’s top-selling liqueur.
And there’s more than just the original Baileys flavor—way more. Are any of these Baileys flavors better than Baileys prime? We sat down and tried 10 Baileys Irish Cream flavors to find out.
Here are 10 flavors of Baileys liquor, ranked from worst to best. Spoiler: The original Baileys is NOT the best Baileys flavor.
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- Baileys Strawberries & Cream
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The best way I can describe this is like if you dissolved a Creme Saver into a glass of Amoxicillin. Harsh, I know. But this could have been so delightful. If the brand had leaned more into a bright, real, slightly tart strawberry flavor and paired it with that classic, chocolaty Baileys flavor, it could have been great. Try again, Baileys, and we’ll reassess.
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- Baileys Chocolate
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This also could have been one of the best flavors of Baileys Irish Cream if it had been crafted correctly. All they had to do was amp up the chocolate flavor. That’s it. All this should taste like is more chocolaty Baileys. Instead, it tastes like Ovaltine—which doesn’t taste like chocolate. It’s clunky and rough and the flavors do not meld into the cocoa symphony I was hoping for. That said, the bottle is gorgeous. It’s textured and looks like a galaxy splattered onto a bottle. Great look, bad flavor.
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- Baileys Scrumptious Salted Caramel
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Salted caramel-flavored products are polarizing. And this is no exception. It does indeed taste like salted caramel—like, really salty salted caramel. But is that a good thing? The super sweet, super salty, super caramelized (aka burnt) sugar flavor overpowers the flavor of the Irish cream. It’s overwhelming on its own. Perhaps it could work in a hot chocolate or latte. But we’re judging Baileys flavors on their own. And, on its own, this Baileys flavor just isn’t cutting it.
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- Baileys Mint Shake
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If you’ve been dreaming of a boozy Thin Mint-flavored milkshake or hot cocoa, then this is the best Baileys flavor for the job. It’s quite minty and quite sweet. Unlike the Salted Caramel, the flavors in Mint Baileys do mesh. But, like the Salted Caramel, it’s too super sweet to sip solo. Use it to spike a chocolate cocktail or some sort.
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- Baileys Deliciously Light
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With 40% less sugar and 40% less calories than original Baileys, I expected it to be a mild version of the classic Irish cream. But it’s the opposite. This light Baileys has way more of a punch to it; I think because it has less sugar but almost the same amount of alcohol. For my money, this is the best of all the Baileys flavors for cocktails or coffee. It’ll stand up to powerful flavors.
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- Baileys Almande
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If you’re a dairy-free queen, then this is for sure the best Baileys flavor for you. Because it’s the only flavor of all the Baileys flavors that you can safely enjoy. Made with almond milk, it’s not a one-to-one dairy-free version of Baileys Irish Cream. But it does taste like boozy, sweet almond cream. It’s easy to sip and not overpoweringly almondy. This isn’t marzipan-flavored Baileys.
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- Baileys S’mores
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Okay, so this doesn’t taste like s’mores, per se, but it does taste like graham crackers. In my opinion, that’s a much better option than marshmallow-flavored Baileys. This ends up tasting like ultra rich and creamy cereal milk. Specifically, it tastes like Golden Grahams cereal milk. It was too sweet for some taste testers, but if you like your cocktails to taste like dessert, I think you’ll dig this.
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- Baileys Cinnamon Churros
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This was the most unexpected surprise out of all the Baileys Irish Cream flavors we tried. The limited edition Churros Baileys is more than just a good looking bottle. It truly tastes like a churro—rich with spicy cinnamon and oh so creamy. It’s great for sipping solo, but that punch of spice makes it good for mixing, too. If you like cinnamon at all, you need to get a bottle of this limited edition Baileys before it’s gone. Also, Baileys, just make this a permanent fixture within the line-up of Baileys flavors. Nix the Chocolate Baileys and swap this one in.
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- Baileys Original
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It’s the best-selling liqueur for a reason. Baileys Original ushers the flavors and alcoholic kick of whiskey in on a pillow of sweet, chocolaty cream. If you haven’t had it in a while, it’s boozier than you probably remember. This isn’t candy in a glass—it’s a real pourable cocktail with bite. When it comes to the apex of Baileys flavors it’s obviously hard to beat the original, but one flavor did it.
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- Baileys Espresso Creme
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Baileys Espresso Creme is like Baileys Original—but more. It layers in rich, fruity, espresso flavors that enhance the chocolate flavors of Baileys. It tastes like a craft spirit. It’s balanced and nuanced and so good. Yes, you need to like coffee in order to enjoy this Baileys flavor, but it’s worth developing a taste for espresso just for this stuff. I brought this bottle home with me. TBD whether I choose to share it with my husband.
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Strawberries & Cream
Chocolate
Salted Caramel
Mint Shake
Deliciously Light
Almande
S’mores
Churros
Original
Espresso Creme
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!