THE best Irish cream liqueurs have been revealed ahead of Christmas – and a bargain supermarket is on par with Baileys.
In a blind taste test, consumer champion Which? pitted the Christmas staple against versions by Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
Each product was assessed by 69 people on factors including taste, mouthfeel, aroma, and appearance.
Baileys triumphed overall with a 76% score, but only just, with several supermarket liqueurs impressing its tasters.
In fact, Lidl's Deluxe Irish Cream scored just one percentage point less than Baileys overall, and it's £2 cheaper meaning it could be a better option.
The tasters really liked the discounter's flavour, appearance as well as mouthfeel.
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It's available for £7.99 for 70cl (£1.14 per 100ml).
Meanwhile, the iconic brand nabbed the top spot thanks to its sweetness, creaminess, and colour.
Tasters noted the "good balance between the cream and the alcohol".
If you won't accept anything but the real deal, make sure you shop around as you can typically avoid paying full price for Baileys.
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There are plenty of offers in the run-up to Christmas and prices change at the last minute.
Currently, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are all selling 70cl bottles for £10 (£1.42 per 100ml) – the cheapest prices around.
The offers in Tesco and Sainsbury's are only for Clubcard and Nectar cardholders, but they're both free to sign up for.
The larger 1litre bottle – usually around £22 – is on offer for £13 (£1.30 per 100ml) at Asda and Morrisons, as well as Tesco for Clubcard holders.
How do the rest compare?
All of the Irish Cream liqueurs included in the test scored well for flavour, so it's worth trying cheaper alternatives when you shop.
- M&S Irish Cream Liqueur – 73% £10 for 70cl. Tasters thought the creaminess and thickness of this product were just right.
- Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Irish Cream Liqueur – 73% £12.50 for 70cl. Tasters enjoyed the flavour and sweetness of this product.
- Morrisons The Best Irish Cream Liqueur – 70% £16 for 1L. This liqueur scored well for taste and mouthfeel, but the aroma and appearance were average.
- Aldi Specially Selected Irish Cream Liqueur – 69% £8.49 for 70cl. Tasters enjoyed the flavour but thought it looked pale.
All products are 17% ABV (alcohol by volume).
The overall score is based on 50% taste, 20% aroma, 15% mouthfeel and 15% appearance.
If you're enjoying a tipple or two, remember to be Drinkaware.
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