Tesco discounts award-winning £20 Irish cream liqueur that beat Baileys in taste tests

Fans of Irish cream will be familiar with the pleasure of unwinding on a lengthy summer evening with a glass of something silky, creamy and just the right level of indulgence. While Baileys is likely the traditional choice for many, our shopping editor has another recommendation - and it's currently discounted at Tesco.

Coole Swan, the acclaimed Irish cream liqueur, is now available for £20 in selected Tesco stores for Tesco Clubcard holders, reduced from its usual price of £26. That's a saving of £6 on a beverage that some fans describe as 'like Baileys, but better.'

The drink is crafted with single-malt Irish whiskey, Belgian white chocolate, and fresh dairy cream sourced from the brand's family farm in Ireland. One individual has claimed it's in a 'different league' compared to other beverages.

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And it's not just consumers singing its praises - the drink has also garnered prestigious awards. These include Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and being named the #1 Irish cream liqueur by Tasting Table, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In addition to positive customer reviews and numerous accolades, our shopping editor, Narin Flanders, also endorses it. She sampled it alongside Baileys, a long-standing favourite.

Narin commented: "Putting the two glasses next to each other, it's easy to see one of the key differences in ingredients reflected in the colour of the glorious nectars. Coole Swan's Belgian white chocolate origins give it a lighter colour than Baileys' rumoured milk chocolate blend. You'd imagine that Coole Swan, being white chocolate-based, would taste sweeter, but to my surprise - and possibly due to the strength of the malt -it tasted more mellow, smoother, and had less of an initial kick."

She continued: "While I love Baileys, for me, the taste comes in stages - you have the initial sweet scent and then the first hit of warmth when you swallow, and then it's eased by the cream that extinguishes the fire. Coole Swan has all of the same elements, but somehow they blend in a way where you get them all simultaneously - there's no fiery undertone and no sweet hit; it's just all beautifully, perfectly balanced from the first sip."

Adding to her remarks, Narin said: "Both drinks have a similar alcohol volume - Baileys is 17% while Coole Swan is 16% ABV - but Coole Swan feels less boozy, making it drinkable to the point of moreish. But for me, there's one thing that makes Coole Swan a next-level Irish cream choice and worth the slightly more expensive price tag."

There are a host of other options on the market as well. Hotel Chocolat's Espresso Martini-flavoured vodka liqueur (£23) has been compared to a boozy tiramisu in a bottle.

For those looking for something different, Micil Connemara Irish Cream Liqueur is also available, albeit at a slightly steeper price of £27.67.

Turning the spotlight back on Coole Swan, the brand has garnered over 1,200 reviews and an impressive 4.7-star average rating on Amazon. In a similar vein, Tesco customers have lavished the liqueur with a stellar 4.7 out of five stars.

One shopper said: "This is so beautiful, creamy and a better class of liqueur. Move over, Baileys, there's a new drink in town."

The main bone of contention for consumers appears to be the cost, with one three-star reviewer noting: "This is very much overpriced for a 16% drink; the bottle's not very big either."

Yet another reviewer was enamoured by its taste, saying: "The most delicious Irish cream liqueur I have ever tasted. Creamy, luxuriously smooth and very moreish. The taste of alcohol is not overwhelming either, which I find with Baileys and other Irish creams. Don't think I could go back to anything else after trying this; the only downside is the price."