Inventing Baileys

It pairs with coffee like jam with toast and chances are even if you don't drink it, you've certainly heard of Baileys Irish Cream.

Since its conception, over two billion bottles have been sold worldwide. It's such a liquor cabinet staple now that we overlook how strange the idea of whisky mixed with cream really is.

Or I suppose, was.

So how did it start?

Back in 1973 a man named David Gluckman, with his partner Hugh Seymour-Davies, were contracted by International Distillers & Vintners (IDV) to develop a drink.

The only criteria they were given was that it had to be alcoholic and they couldn’t use a lot of whiskey because of poor relationships with Irish distilleries and an inability to control the supply of alcohol.

They had barely begun to brainstorm when David tapped into a seemingly unrelated part of his work history; Kerrygold Butter, a brand he helped become recognized globally for premium butter.

“Is there something in Ireland’s reputation for dairy produce that we can apply to an alcoholic drink – all those lush green, rain-sodden pastures and contented cows?” asked David to Hugh, first thinking through his idea.

Inspired, they poured Jameson Irish Whiskey into a tub with cream, sugar and Cadbury’s Powdered Drinking Chocolate and brought the result to the scientists at IDV the same day.

Here’s how David Gluckman describes the experience:

“The initial thought behind Baileys Irish Cream took about 30 seconds. In another 45 minutes the idea was formed. Baileys was like that for me. A decade of experience kicked in and delivered a great idea.”

There are times when a solution (or a great idea) can materialize in an instant. Not because the problem is simple, but because the people working on it draw upon past successes and a perspective refined by years of experience.

When faced with the task of finding the right solutions for our clients, our exclusive network of experts draw upon their experience to provide unique perspectives and tailored recommendations for each individual we work with.