The Irish Encounter

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 02/10/23
The Irish Encounter

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
464 Calories
26g Fat
29g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 464
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 23g 113%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 83mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 4mg 21%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 417mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The Irish encounter brings rum and Irish cream together to create a fun frozen cocktail. It's like a piña colada, only different. The drink prefers banana over pineapple and a shot of Baileys gives it a creamier twist (and that promised "encounter").

This recipe is courtesy of Pyrat Rum and their XO Reserve is a really nice choice for the drink because it has some wonderful citrus notes. Fresh banana and a good amount of coconut milk give it a tropical fruit foundation, just the thing you need to cool down on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ice

  • 3 ounces coconut milk

  • 1/3 banana

  • 1 1/2 ounce aged rum

  • 1/2 ounce Irish cream liqueur

  • Whipped cream, for garnish

  • Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    The Irish Encounter ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a blender, add the ice, coconut milk, banana, rum, and Irish cream.

    ice, coconut milk, banana, rum, and Irish cream in a blender

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Blend for 15 to 20 seconds, or until smooth.

    The Irish Encounter in a blender

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour into a tall glass or large margarita glass.

    The Irish Encounter in a glass

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut. Serve and enjoy.

    The Irish Encounter with whipped cream and toasted coconut on top

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Recipe Variation

Just like the piña colada, this drink can be shaken and produce a very nice drink. Simply add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker, switching to banana liqueur, shake vigorously, then strain out the ice.

Tips

  • Don't worry too much about adding just 1/3 of a banana or 1/2 ounce of Irish cream. Using a whole banana and a full shot (1 ounce to 1 1/2 ounces) of Baileys can only make the drink better.
  • As written, the recipe creates about a 10-ounce drink, so you'll need a large glass. You can also split it into two glasses and share (or keep the excess for yourself in the freezer).
  • The toasted coconut used for the garnish is easy to make. Spread coconut flakes onto a baking sheet and toast in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. You do want to stir the flakes every few minutes so they don't burn. Let the flakes cool completely before using.
  • There are two types of coconut milk and which you choose will depend on how thick you'd like the drink. Canned coconut milk is thick, rich, and creamy. It tends to separate in the can so you can either mix it back up or enjoy either the thick top or thin bottom layer (or a little of both). The other option is the coconut milk that's used as a dairy alternative (typically sold in cartons). This will produce a thinner cocktail that's a bit more of a slushy rather than a smoothie, though it will still be creamy.
  • Cream of coconut is used often in piña coladas and is an excellent alternative to the milk.

How Strong Is an Irish Encounter?

The Irish encounter falls in line with other blended cocktails in that its a low-proof drink. In fact, it's not much stronger than beer, weighing in at just 7 percent ABV (14 proof).