Bourbon Cream vs. Irish Cream: Taste the Difference

There’s a chill in the air as we travel deeper into the fall season, and what better way to enjoy the brisk weather than with a warm spiked coffee or White Russian? Elevate traditional cream liqueur cocktails by trading in the typical Irish Cream for an ounce or two of our Bespoke Bourbon Cream Liqueur. Whether poured over ice, blended in a milkshake, or enjoyed neat, our Bourbon Cream will add a kick of flavor to any cocktail. Now that your taste buds are intrigued, let’s talk about the five differences between Bourbon Cream and Irish Cream.

Bourbon Cream Made with Real Bourbon

Our Bourbon Cream, first released in 2015, gives cream liqueur a unique American take, made with our flagship spirit the Four Grain Bourbon. Bourbon, a type of American Whiskey, must be made with at least 51% corn. Our Four Grain Bourbon has a composition of 60% corn, 20% wheat, 9% rye, and 11% malted barley. This combination of ingredients gives Bourbon and Bourbon Cream a full, sweet flavor. Many Irish Creams, like Baileys, have an Irish Whiskey base, others use only Neutral Grain spirits with no whiskey character. Either way this recipe makes for a lighter-bodied cream liqueur that just can’t compete with Bourbon.

Hold the Chocolate

Many Irish Cream liqueurs like Baileys and Kerrygold add cocoa for a sweet additional flavor note. With Bourbon Cream, we let the full-bodied bourbon do the talking. You’ll experience sweet vanilla and salty caramel notes from the Four Grain Bourbon base. These flavors are ideal for the colder months – perfect with a piping hot coffee or an additional pumpkin twist. 

Contains Real Local Cream

Bourbon Cream is made with local New York cream to give the liqueur a smooth finish. At Black Button, 90% of our ingredients are grown or produced in New York State, making us a certified farm distillery. By sourcing from local New York farms, we can closely monitor the quality of cream and support the important industry of New York agriculture.

Craft/ Small Batch Liqueur Means Large Flavor

When you pick up a bottle of Bourbon Cream, you’ll enjoy the finely constructed recipe of a craft liqueur. Unlike some larger Irish Cream brands, we tend to every bottle of Bourbon Cream. In our small batches, we focus on producing the best flavor profile. For our Bourbon Cream, we have honed in on a rich profile with sweet vanilla and bold caramel.

7 Simple Ingredients 

The simple components in our Bourbon Cream come together to create a powerful flavor. There’s no questioning long ingredient names or mysterious additives. Our Bourbon Cream contains alcohol, barley, corn, wheat, rye, cream, and caramel coloring. Simple is the new lavish.

Spice Up a Traditional Irish Cream Drink with Bourbon

So, are you someone who like simple ingredients, real local cream, and tons of flavor? Take the following traditional Irish Cream cocktails, and amp up the excitement by replacing the Irish Cream with our Black Button Bourbon Cream.

Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Mudslide:

A classic mudslide, with a fall twist.

 1 ½ oz Bourbon Cream

1 oz Pumpkin Spice Vodka

1 cup Ice

Chocolate Syrup

Blend Bourbon Cream, vodka, and ice. Swirl chocolate syrup around inside of glass before pouring.

Morning Cure (Bourbon & Coffee):

Your morning started right.

1 oz Bourbon Cream

3 oz Black Coffee

Combine in mug and enjoy.

Black Button White Russian

Vodka and bourbon never looked so good.

1 ½ oz Bourbon Cream

1 oz Vodka

¾ oz Coffee Liqueur

Shake with ice & pour.

Find our Bespoke Bourbon Cream at our Buffalo tasting room or our Rochester distillery or have a bottle shipped directly to you. Still thirsty? We’ve got recipes for even more bourbon cream drinks. Or you can check out all of our craft spirits in the Black Button portfolio.