We here at Freakytrigger have always kept a close eye at brand extensions. And the brand we most like to see extended poorly is Baileys. The sickly Irish Cream which is nominally likened to vanilla ice cream is a drink which has tried and failed a few times to extend the ways in which its sickeningly vile liquid can force itself down your throat. In the past your writer has forced the odd Bailey’s Glide down his throat in the interest of research: and accidentally discovered that this stab at a Baileys alcopop actually tasted better when diluted with vinegar. Putting the drink on a par with cockles.
But not put off by the complete failure of the Glide, the good people at Baileys have tried a new wheeze. Why not extend the flavours Baileys comes in? You know, like Coke with a twist of Vanilla? So advertised, and free sampling (thank god) at the airport were the two new flavours of Baileys: Chocolate Mint Baileys & Crème Caramel Baileys.
I don’t know if you have ever mixed Baileys with a bit of Crème de Menthe. I have. It also had some Tabasco in it and I believe a twist of Taboo. It was made for me on the day I finished my finals. I knocked it back in one and proceeded to eat a cigar. So in as much as the Chocolate Mint Baileys would reduce by one the number of ingredients required to make this cocktail is a good thing. The fact that this cocktail should never be repeated again is not.
The Crème Caramel version confused me a touch, in as much as it was a more vanilla flavoured version of Baileys. Considering I had always assumed Baileys was vanilla flavoured it came as a bit of a shock. Not a particularly pleasant shock. Possibly akin to believing Spike Milligan in Curry and Chips was an accurate portrayal of an Indian immigrant, and then meeting a real one. The whole affair was rather embarrassing, which is much like ordering or drinking Baileys anyway. Hanging around the “Baileys Bar” in Gatwick was doing nothing for my street (airport) cred. Yet again, Baileys tries to extend its brand only to overextend it.