The 7 Best Cocktails to Make with Galliano

Although Galliano dates to the late 1800s, it might be most associated with the 1970s era of disco drinks, thanks to the reign of the Harvey Wallbanger. But far from a one-hit wonder, the anise and vanilla-forward liqueur can add its distinctive flavor to plenty of cocktails. 

The story of this unlikely dance-floor star begins in 1896, when Livorno, Italy-based importer Arturo Vaccari worked with the company Fratelli Maraschi, today known as Maraschi & Quirichi, to launch the liqueur. Details were carefully chosen, including the name, inspired by Italian war hero Giuseppe Galliano; the tall fluted bottle, intended to evoke the columns of ancient Roman temples; a golden hue that was a nod to the California Gold Rush; and an original recipe that included herbs from the Italian Alps. 

In the 1970s, Galliano became the most imported liqueur in the U.S., thanks in large part to the success of cocktails like the Harvey Wallbanger and Golden Cadillac. In 1989, global company Remy Cointreau acquired the brand, changing the original recipe (which had already been tweaked over the years) to put a greater emphasis on the vanilla flavoring and lowering the proof to 30%. 

Dutch company Lucas Bols purchased the brand in 2006 and worked with Galliano to make the liqueur according to its original recipe, with an ABV of 42.3%, calling the new bottling Galliano L’Autentico. Today, Galliano still makes the lower-ABV vanilla formulation (called Galliano Vanilla Liqueur) as well as espresso and amaretto liqueurs, sambucas, and a red bitter-style aperitivo. 

How Is Galliano Made and What Does It Taste Like?

Galliano L’Autentico is made with neutral alcohol that is macerated with around 30 herbs, including juniper berries, caraway seed cloves, cardamom, sandalwood, star anise, cinnamon, sage, thyme, mint, lavender, and Madagascar vanilla.

Although the exact process is proprietary, Galliano uses two small copper pot stills for its distillation process, and the recipe is a blend of nine component parts. The liqueur is sweetened and the iconic golden hue is said to come from tartrazine, a yellow dye. 

Like many liqueurs, Galliano L’Autentico has a singular flavor profile, but it is vanilla-forward and has strong notes of anise that might bring to mind a pastis or even a sambuca. It also has notes of baking spices and Mediterranean herbs. 

How to Use Galliano

Galliano L’Autentico can be sipped neat, as an after-dinner digestif, or topped with soda water to temper the sweetness. You might try to use it in place of another anise liqueur for a more vanilla-forward and approachable flavor profile. 

The Harvey Wallbanger is undeniably the most iconic Galliano cocktail, but the liqueur is as versatile as any, adding both sweetness and its distinctive flavor profile to countless drinks. With a relatively high ABV of 42.3%, the L’Autentico expression can also stand up to spirits and other bold ingredients. 

Here are 7 great cocktails to try using Galliano.