A vividly coloured vanilla liqueur, which dates back to 1896.

Galliano was created by Arturo Vaccari, a distiller from Livorno, Tuscany. The liqueur is named after Maggiore Galliano, an Italian military hero. Galliano held Fort Enda Jesus against an Abyssinian army which outnumbered the Italians 36 to 1, before dying in the battle of Adua, which confirmed his heroism. Legend has it that this liqueur is based upon a concoction that the Maggiore carried with him on his expeditions.

The liqueur was coloured gold, as it was created just as the Californian Gold Rush was coming to its zenith. Vaccari, as you can tell, had a good eye for marketing.

The spirit itself is flavoured with 25 botanicals, including clove, yarrow, coriander, cardamom, vanilla, sandal wood, white dead nettle, cinnamon, lavender, sage, oris, mugwort, balsam, snakeroot, and anis. These botanicals are macerated for 48 hours in beet alcohol and water, whilst another maceration of aniseeds is distilled in smaller copper stills, before the two mixtures are blended together. Caramel and sugar are added for balance and colour.

The final result is a minty, liquorice rich liqueur, with notes of delicate vanilla, bitter juniper, green herbs, subtle spice, ginger, citrus, slight wood, and a little crushed flowers.

The brand had its prime in 70s and 80s, when it was used in many popular cocktails, most notably the Harvey Wallbanger.

A truly iconic liqueur which has a place in any serious collection or bar.

• Product type
  Herb Liqueurs
• Distillery / brand
  Galliano
• Country
  Italy
• SKU
  037485