Ingredients
- 45 ml vodka
- 120 ml orange juice fresh if possible
- 15 ml Galliano L'Autentico the yellow herbal liqueur
- 1 slice orange garnish
- 1 piece maraschino cherry optional, garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Pour in the vodka.
- Top with orange juice, leaving room for the float.
- Slowly pour the Galliano over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top.
- Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
- Stir before drinking, or sip through the layers.
Notes
Where it came from
The Harvey Wallbanger was created in the 1950s, but exploded into pop culture in the 1970s when McKesson (the US distributor of Galliano) launched a marketing campaign featuring a cartoon surfer named Harvey. The story said Harvey was a Manhattan Beach surfer who lost a competition, drowned his sorrows in too many of the drinks, and bounced off the walls trying to leave the bar.
Galliano sales exploded. The drink became the unofficial cocktail of disco. By the 1980s the cultural backlash to disco kicked it back to obscurity, but the drink survives as a glorious 70s throwback that actually tastes great.
Why Galliano works
Galliano is a yellow Italian liqueur from Tuscany flavoured with anise, vanilla, ginger, citrus and 30 other herbs and spices. It tastes like a sweeter, more aromatic absinthe with vanilla underpinnings. A 15ml float on top of vodka and orange juice transforms a basic Screwdriver into something with real complexity. The vanilla and anise notes lift the orange juice and add depth.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Galliano
- Use
- Galliano L’Autentico (the yellow original)
- Try
- Galliano Vanilla for a softer, more dessert-leaning version
- Skip
- Substitutes are tough; Strega is the closest but quite different
The orange juice
- Use
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Try
- Pulpy not-from-concentrate from the chiller
- Skip
- Sweetened orange drink, ruins the balance
The vodka
- Use
- Any clean premium vodka: Tito’s, Absolut, Smirnoff
- Why
- Vodka is the neutral background. The Galliano provides the personality.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Strega is the closest cousin (Italian herbal yellow liqueur) but more peppery. Yellow Chartreuse is more herbal, less vanilla.
Bottled not-from-concentrate is fine. Avoid the sweetened “orange drink” stuff.
Tequila plata makes a Tequila Wallbanger. Gin works but changes the drink.
Add 15ml more vodka. Or split the Galliano float in half and let it sink for a more integrated flavour.
Build with cream and call it a Slippery Nipple cousin. Different drink, same liqueur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Harvey Wallbanger?
Vodka, orange juice and Galliano L’Autentico (the yellow herbal liqueur). Standard build is 45ml vodka, 120ml orange juice over ice in a highball, with 15ml Galliano floated on top.
What is the difference between a Harvey Wallbanger and a Screwdriver?
The Screwdriver is just vodka and orange juice. The Harvey Wallbanger adds a Galliano float on top, which transforms the drink with vanilla, anise and herbal notes.
What is Galliano?
An Italian liqueur from Tuscany, vivid yellow in colour, flavoured with anise, vanilla, ginger, citrus, lavender and around 30 other herbs and spices. The bottle is famously tall and slender. The L’Autentico version is the original.
Why is it called a Harvey Wallbanger?
From a 1970s marketing campaign by Galliano’s US distributor. Harvey was a fictional surfer who, after losing a competition, drank so many of the cocktails that he bounced off the walls trying to leave the bar. The campaign launched the drink into pop culture and made Galliano a back-bar staple.
Should the Galliano really be floated?
Yes, that is the whole point. Pour slowly over the back of a bar spoon to keep the Galliano on top, creating the signature yellow-on-orange look. Stir together before drinking or sip through the layers.
How strong is a Harvey Wallbanger?
About 13-15 percent ABV in the glass. The vodka and Galliano together push the alcohol up, the juice brings it back down. Sippable but not weak.
Can I make a Tequila Wallbanger?
Yes. Swap the vodka for tequila plata. The agave plays nicely with both Galliano and orange juice. A solid variation.
What food goes with a Harvey Wallbanger?
Brunch food, citrus salads, grilled chicken, anything with herbs. The Galliano’s anise and vanilla also pair well with desserts.
