A MAJOR supermarket’s own-brand Irish cream has pipped Baileys to top spot in a blind taste test.
Consumer website Which? asked a group of Irish cream fans to rate their favourite tipple out of a list of six in the run up to Christmas.
And they gave Sainsbury’s 70cl boozy bottle, priced at £13, a 74% rating overall, beating Baileys to the number one spot.
Shoppers highlighted the products’ well-balanced sweet, boozy flavour and creamy mouthfeel.
Meanwhile, the 70cl bottle of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £16.50, received a 73% overall rating.
The branded version scored high marks across the board, with most tasters praising its sweetness, creaminess and strength of alcohol.
M&S’ Irish Cream Liqueur (£10 for 70cl) scored a 72% overall rating, with Lidl coming in fourth with 71%.
Meanwhile, shoppers said Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £7.99 for a 70cl boozy bottle and the joint cheapest out of all six bottles, had a decent flavour and mouthfeel.
Aldi’s 70cl bottle was the other joint cheapest on the taste test, priced at £7.99.
However, it scored second lowest in the blind taste test, with panellists deeming it lacked flavour and aroma.
Morrisons‘ 1litre The Best Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £16, scored the lowest out of all six bottles tasted by the panellists.
They found it had a good mouthfeel but the appearance, aroma and flavour were rated worse than the others in the line up.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “Irish cream liqueur is a much-loved staple, and in the lead up to the festive season some shoppers will already be thinking about how they can get hold of a great-tasting option at a reasonable price.
“In our taste tests, Sainsbury’s was our panel’s top choice and was awarded a Best Buy.
“The bottle costs £3.50 less than Baileys and is a great budget-friendly alternative.”
It’s worth bearing in mind, the prices Which? found for the six bottles are correct as of October 15.
That means you might have to pay more or less when you come to buying one.
If you’re not fussed on flavour and are more worried about cutting costs, use a price comparison site to find the best deal.
Trolley lets you compare prices on thousands of products across the major supermarkets and filter results from the least to most expensive.
Bear in mind it doesn’t include prices from some retailers though, like Home Bargains and Lidl.
You can also have a quick scan of the internet with the Google Shopping/Product tab to see which retailer has the cheapest price on a specific product too.
In other taste test news, The Sun tried supermarket tinned pastas with a £1 can winning top spot.
Plus, reporter Joe Hadden tried the new tinned Heinz carbonara that can be cooked in two minutes.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
