Review: Trader Joes Golden Vale Irish Cream Liqueur
Trader Joes Golden Vale Irish Cream Liqueur was recently released. As Trader Joe’s continues to add store locations their private label liquor brands increase. When the leaves start to fall in the upper half of the US we enter the peak season for Irish cream liqueurs. Golden Vale is presumable named for the Golden Vale area of Southwest Ireland, often referred to as the best land in Ireland for dairy farming. Golden Vale is imported by Universal Brands in Princeton Minnesota. I have not located a Universal Brands or Golden Vale web address, and Golden Vale Irish Cream Liqueur does not have a presence on the Trader Joe’s website. The only available information is the bottles label that reads Golden Vale is an artful blend of Irish Whiskey and rich dairy cream. My guess is grain spirits, natural flavors, and caramel color have also been added. Universal Brands has an existing relationship with Robert A Merry & Co. as they produce several other Irish cream liqueurs including Mullins Irish Cream for them. My guess is that is who produces Golden Vale Irish Cream Liqueur. Read more 
Review: Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark Rum Cream
Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark Rum Cream was just released. It joins the Tippy Cow family of rum creams that already includes Vanilla Soft Serve, Chocolate, Shamrock Mint, and Orange. I don’t know about you but when I think Peppermint Bark, I think of those delicious Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark squares that come out about this time every year and disappear with the Holiday season. Tippy Cow is made in Pewaukee Wisconsin by Midwest Custom Bottling. This is the same place RumChata is created. Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark is made with fresh Wisconsin dairy cream, Caribbean Rum, natural and artificial flavors, and caramel color. Read more
Review: Mullins Irish Cream Liqueur
Mullins Irish Cream Liqueur is produced and bottled by Robert A Merry and Co. in Clonmel, County Tipperary Ireland. This distillery not only produces several private label Irish cream liqueur brands including O’Donnells, McCleary, Sheelin, Fennellys, and O’Reillys, they make their own under the Merrys label. Mullins appears to be an Irish cream liqueur sold exclusively at Walmart. It is made with aged Irish whiskey, grain spirits, and fresh dairy cream. Natural flavors and caramel color are blended before bottling at 34 proof. Read more
Review: Kirkland Irish Country Cream
Kirkland Irish Country Cream is sold at Costco Wholesale stores in 1.5 liter plastic bottles, in states that do not allow the sale of spirits. I picked up this bottle on a recent trip to North Carolina. It is produced and bottled by Patrick Piper and Sons in Pewaukee Wisconsin. This is the same location RumChata is produced. The Irish Country Cream designation instead of Irish Cream, is given to Irish cream liqueurs produced with wine instead of Irish Whisky. Kirkland Irish Country Cream is made with dessert wine, dairy cream, natural, and artificial flavors, and caramel color.
Review: Nooku Bourbon Cream
Nooku Bourbon Cream was introduced in Colorado, December 2016. It is now available in 14 states, with more to follow. Nooku is inspired by a Native American name for the white snowshoe rabbit. Nooku Bourbon Cream is crafted using two ingredients, Old Elks Bourbon and real dairy cream from Creamy Creations in Batavia New York. Old Elks Bourbon is produced in Fort Collins Colorado at Old Elk Distillery with malted barley, rye, and corn. Four times more malted barley is used than conventional bourbon recipes call for. The Old Elk Distillery was launched by Curt and Nancy Richardson, the founders of Otterbox and Blue Ocean Enterprises. The bourbon is aged two years in new charred white oak barrels. Traditional proofing takes 24-48 hours. The slow cutting technique used to produce Old Elk Bourbon occurs over several periods, and takes significantly longer. Read more
Review: Blue Chair Bay Pineapple Rum Cream
Blue Chair Bay Pineapple Rum Cream was recently released. This is the 9th Blue Chair Bay variety in Country Music star Kenny Chesney’s line of Caribbean rum. Each variety starts with a white rum base distilled and aged up to 15 months in oak barrels at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados. After shipping to Rochester New York real cream, pineapple and coconut flavors are blended before bottling at 30 proof. Read more
Review: Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur
Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur is the world’s first farm to table Irish cream liqueur. Five Farms is positioned as a super premium Irish Cream and is exclusively sourced and produced in County Cork Ireland. County Cork is the largest and Southernmost County in Ireland. Five Farms is crafted from single batches of fresh cream sourced from five family owned farms. The fresh cream is combined with premium triple distilled Irish whiskey, within 48 hours of leaving the farm. Five Farms is made with 10% Irish Whiskey. This is a higher amount of whiskey than other Irish Cream Liqueurs. Read more
Review: Baileys Strawberries and Cream
Baileys Strawberries and Cream is a seasonal Limited Edison liqueur that will be available February-April or until supply lasts. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle a little early. This is their second seasonal flavor following Baileys Pumpkin Spice. While no ingredients are listed on the bottle, Baileys Original Irish Cream is made with aged Irish whiskey, grain spirits, fresh dairy cream, and a unique chocolate blend. This bottle reads Baileys Strawberries and Cream is infused with a delightful ripe strawberry flavor and the taste of delicious vanilla. Read more
Review: Merrys Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur
Merrys Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur was released in the summer of 2015. It is one of six Irish Cream liqueurs in their current lineup. The others include White Chocolate, Strawberry, Pumpkin Spice, Toffee Buttermint, and Merrys Original Irish Cream. At one time they produced a Caramel Cream Liqueur made with bourbon. Merrys Salted Caramel is handcrafted by Master Blender Don Crowley in small batches using the finest Irish Whiskey, grain spirits, and fresh dairy cream. The cream is delivered to the distillery within 12 hours of leaving the farms gate. Natural flavors and caramel color are blended before bottling at 34 proof. Read more
Review: Els Iced Coffee
Els Iced Coffee was recently released. It is one of three Els Iced spirits recently released. The other flavors include Els Iced Chocolate, and Els Iced Chocolate Mint. Els Iced Coffee is named for Golfer Ernie Els, who Founder Cayce Kerr first met on the golf range at Royal Birkdale in 1989. They have been friends every since. While Cayce is a caddie by trade, it was not until the Spring of 2016 that he became Ernie Els caddie. Els Iced Coffee is made with orange wine, fresh cream from a dairy in Wisconsin, a blend of natural coffee flavors, and caramel color. Read more