Review: Fennellys Raspberry Cheesecake Irish Cream Liqueur
Fennellys Raspberry Cheesecake Irish Cream Liqueur is produced by Robert A Merry & Co, in Tipperary County Clonmel Ireland. While Irish Cream liqueurs are primarily consumed from Halloween through New Years, they do enjoy a spike around March 17th, AKA St Patrick’s Day. Raspberry Cheesecake appears to have replaced Tropical Colada in the Fennellys family of Irish Cream liqueurs. Even without Tropical Colada, Fennellys is produced in 10 different flavor varieties. Only Baileys, with 13 flavors available in the US market produce more flavor options. Fennellys is sold primarily at Total Wine & More stores throughout the US. No ingredient list is available, but previous Fennellys Irish Cream liqueurs were made with Irish Cream, Irish Whiskey, Irish spirits, and natural flavors. Read more 
Review: Carolans Peanut Butter
Carolans Peanut Butter was announced January 24, National Peanut Butter Day. It will only be available in the US market with a release date early in February. Carolans Peanut Butter is made with Original Carolans Irish Cream as a base. That base is made with farm fresh cream, Irish Whiskey, and naturally harvested honey. No additional ingredients are included on the Carolans Peanut Butter press release but the bottles label states it does not contain peanuts. Carolans is made by Heaven Hill Brands. Heaven Hill produces dozens of brands including Deep Eddy and Burnetts Vodka, Lunazul Tequila, Evan Williams, and Larceny Bourbon and Christian Brothers Brandy. While R.A. Merry Co. produces a Peanut Butter wine based Irish Country Cream under several labels including McGraths, O’Reillys, and Sheelin, Carolans is the first peanut butter flavored Irish Cream liqueur. Read more
Review: Baileys Vanilla Mint Shake
Baileys Vanilla Mint Shake will soon be landing on your favorite liquor store shelves. It is one of 13 Baileys Irish Cream varieties now available in the US market. The UK only offers six. With 12 flavors already on board I’m a little surprised mint isn’t one of them, but Baileys Vanilla Mint Shake is Bailey’s third different mint flavored Irish cream liqueur, following the previously made Baileys Mint Chocolate, and Bailey with Hint of Mint Chocolate. I have to admit when I think “vanilla mint shake” the first thing that comes to mind is McDonald’s seasonal Shamrock Shake. McDonalds makes this shake with vanilla soft serve ice cream and mint syrup. Baileys Vanilla Mint Shake is made with Irish Whiskey, fresh dairy cream, Irish spirits, and natural vanilla, mint and chocolate flavors. Read more
Review: Hard Chaw Strong Irish Cream Liqueur
Hard Chaw Strong Irish Cream Liqueur was launched in Colorado in 2019. Distribution first spread to Minnesota. Hard Chaw is know available in Wisconsin and online. Colm O’Neill a former All-Ireland winning Gaelic football player and the owner of several Irish pubs spent 7 years researching and developing Hard Claw, eventually partnering with Irelands premier family owned creamery and distillery to created the Hard Chaw brand. Hard Chaw was inspired by the Shillelagh Shot a 50-50 blend of Baileys and Jameson. Hard Chaw is made from the finest pot still Irish Whiskies, craft distilled Irish potcheen, and fresh Irish dairy cream. Potcheen is Irish Moonshine and most Irish cream liqueurs are made with a blended Irish whiskey as opposed to a pot still style. Hard Chaw weighs in at 50 proof, 50% higher than traditional Irish Cream liqueurs. Read more
Review: Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream
Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream was just launched in the US as a Limited Edition release, joining Molly’s Original, and my personal favorite flavored Irish cream Molly’s Coconut. Molly’s also makes Molly’s Pumpkin Spice as a Seasonal Limited Edition. Strawberry is the third most popular flavor of ice cream sold in the US, making strawberry a logical choice for a new Irish cream liqueur. There are over 100 Irish Cream and Irish Country creams sold today. Only a few distilleries produce all of these brands. Molly’s is crafted by the largest family owned producer of Irish Cream at their own state of the art plant in the heart of Irelands Dairyland. This total control allowed Molly’s the opportunity to produce countless versions of Strawberry Irish Cream before selecting this one. Just like the other Irish creams in Molly’s family, one third of each bottle of Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream consists of fresh Irish cream. When I say fresh, 48 hours earlier the cream used to craft Molly’s was still in the grass fed cows. Aged Irish Whiskey, the finest Irish spirits, and natural strawberry flavor complete the ingredient list. Read more
Review: Baileys S’mores
Baileys S’mores Irish Cream Liqueur was just released. If you are unfamiliar with the campfire favorite of toasted marshmallow, and Hersheys Chocolate, sandwiched between two graham crackers I have to ask ” where do you live?” While I have been waiting patiently for the North American release of Baileys Tiramisu, one of four Baileys flavors available in the UK but not in the US, Baileys surprised me with the release of Bailey’s S’mores. This is one of 12 Baileys flavors currently available in the US so I shouldn’t be too sour about not getting to try Bailey Orange Truffle, Tiramisu, Chocolate Luxe, or Eton Mess, a blend of strawberry raspberry, meringue, and whipped cream. But I suffer from a big case of FOMO. Read more
Review: Carolans Cold Brew
Carolans Cold Brew was launched May 2021. Carolans Original Irish Cream is the second best selling Irish Cream Liqueur brand. Carolans Original was introduced in 1978, making it one of the oldest Irish Cream Liqueur brands. What sets Carolans Original Irish Cream apart from the competition is the inclusion of naturally harvested honey and farm fresh cream. This is the second line extension for Carolans. Carolans Salted Caramel was released August 2019. Carolans Cold Brew is a blend of Carolan Original with natural cold brew coffee and chocolate flavors. Read more
Review: Brogdan’s Irish Cream Liqueur
Brogdan’s Irish Cream Liqueur is crafted in Abbeyleix Co. Laois Ireland by First Ireland Spirits. First Ireland Spirits is one of the big four producers of Irish Cream Liqueur. The others include Baileys, Terra, and R.A Merry. First Ireland Master Blender John Drennan also makes Feeney’s Irish Cream, O’Casey’s Irish Cream, and O’Mara’s Country Cream. First Ireland Spirits also produces Bloom, Greenall, Opihr, and Thomas Dakin Gin, and The Liberties, The Dead Rabbit, and The Dubliner Irish Whiskey. With so many Irish Cream Liqueurs on the market today Brogan’s may be a little hard to find. I found my bottle at Schnucks in St. Louis Missouri. Read more
Review: Glencara Family Estate Irish Cream Liqueur
Glencara Family Estate Irish Cream Liqueur is not your typical Irish Cream liqueur. First of all the the milk jug container makes it easy to find on the liquor store shelf. Glencara is made with Irish grain neutral spirits, triple distilled single malt Irish Whiskey, double cream, and natural flavors. Most Irish cream liqueurs are made with Irish grain neutral spirits, double distilled blended Irish Whiskey, and dairy cream. Double cream is a dairy cream made with 48% butter cream. Double cream can easily be found in the UK. Good luck finding it in the US. By comparison whipping cream contains 30% butter fat. Heavy cream has 38%. Glencara also weighs in with 18.4% alcohol. Most including Baileys are bottled at 17% This premium Irish cream liqueur comes with a premium price. It is produced by R.A. Merry & Co. in Tipperary Ireland. Read more
Review: Fennellys Tropical Colada Irish Cream Liqueur
Tropical Colada is one of ten Fennellys Irish Cream liqueurs sold at Total Wine and More stores throughout the US. The others include Original, Apple Pie, Salted Caramel, Almond, Strawberry, Dreamy Light, Cappuccino, Peppermint, and Chocolate Mint. Robert A Merry & Co. makes well over a dozen brands of Irish Cream liqueur including the Fennellys brand in Tipperary Ireland. While it may seem unfair to call Fennellys a discount Baileys copy cat brand, Fennellys is less expensive than Baileys and nine of the ten Fennellys flavor varieties were already made by Baileys before Fennellys introduced theirs. Read more