From Mayo and from Sligo and from Leitrim they came, but not for this!
Starbucks' new Irish Cream Cold Brew drink is a seasonal and viral star this week, so IrishCentral decided to pop down to our local to take a quick look under its hood.
Would these ingredients get past your Irish grandmother or grandfather?
Sadly, no they would not. Instead, these ingredients would likely get you ostracized.
Read more: The power of an Irish name and the confusion it causes at Starbucks
The new Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew underwhelms Irish people
With its sweet cream, cold brew coffee, ice, cocoa and what they call "Starbucks Irish Cream Syrup," the new drink is a curious facsimile of summer and winter, meaning you could cool off with this concoction in July but feel like you were cheating on December.
It's the cocoa and frothy sweet cream that gives it the festive buzz, but the Irish Cream Cold Brew syrup has a slight aftertaste of alcohol (is it whiskey or vodka flavor?) that evens things out.
There isn't a drop of alcohol in this drink, however.
Presentation-wise it resembles a frappuccino, but without the cloying sweetness or the higher calorie count (a tall order of Irish Cream Cold Brew comes in at just 110 calories, the Starbucks site says).
Starbucks wants to bring you some Irish flavored festive cheer
So what's actually in the Irish Cream Syrup anyway? Starbucks won't say, other than sugar, natural flavors, potassium, and citric acid.
What's not in the Irish Cream Cold Brew and really should be is some authentic Bailey's Irish Cream or a nice swig of Jameson's or Powers Irish whiskey.
Having tried and considered it we feel you will be better off having someone Irish make you an original Irish coffee. This Starbucks drink is appropriating the good name of Ireland but delivering an underwhelming mock-up of a Christmas tradition that should never be mocked like this.
What do you think? Is Starbucks Irish Cream Cold Brew a hit or a miss?
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