Galliano (liqueur)

Liquore Galliano L'Autentico, known more commonly as Galliano, is a sweet herbal liqueur created in 1896 by Italian distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari of Livorno, Tuscany. Vaccari named the spirit after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian hero of the First Italo–Ethiopian War at the end of the 19th century. Its vivid yellow color, currently derived from tartrazine (a lemon-yellow azo dye), symbolizes the Gold Rushes of the 1890s.

The liqueur was made by blending local Italian ingredients (anise, lavender, mint) with herbs and plants from far away countries (vanilla, cinnamon, coriander). Vaccari chose yellow as the color of Galliano to symbolize the gold rush and named his creation in honor of Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian hero from the Abyssinian Italian colonial wars.

Among the many ingredients in Galliano are star anise from China, Mediterranean anise, juniper, musk yarrow, ginger, lavender and peppermint as well as vanilla with its delicate aroma and cinnamon with its spicy touch. Vanilla is the most important ingredient in Galliano. Neutral alcohol is infused with the pressings from all herbs and plants with exception of vanilla. The liquid is distilled and then infused with pressed vanilla. In the final stage distilled water, refined sugar and pure neutral alcohol are blended with the base. 30% alcohol by volume, Galliano possesses a unique, complex, intense, yet mellow aroma. When drunk, a full smooth flavor fills the mouth. The fresh aniseed flavors balance the sweet vanilla ones.

Galliano is an ideal "marrying" ingredient. It adds no intrusive flavor, but serves to deepen and give character to other ingredients, both ordinary and exotic. Hundreds of recipes involving Galliano are used worldwide.

Galliano has been formulated at both 60 proof (30% by volume) and 84.6 proof (42.3% by volume). The latter strength is the original recipe, as well as the recipe currently in use. The sweeter 60 proof version is being phased out. Among its approximately 30 herbal ingredients are star anise, Mediterranean anise, ginger, and citrus and vanilla.

Galliano has a similar appearance to Strega, another Italian herbal liqueur. Galliano is sweet and has a complex, vanilla-anise flavor with subtle citrus and woodsy herbal under notes. It is used both as a digestif (meant for drinking after heavy meals), and as an ingredient for cocktails, most notably the Harvey Wallbanger.

The vanilla top note differentiates Galliano from other anise-flavored liqueurs such as Sambuca, Pernod, or Anisette. Galliano is produced by first infusing grain-neutral alcohol with the herbal flavoring agents, distilling the liquid, and then infusing with pressed vanilla. In the final production stage, the vanilla-herb base infusion is blended with distilled water, refined sugar and pure neutral alcohol.

The Galliano brand is currently owned by Dutch distiller Lucas Bols, and marketed through its worldwide distribution joint venture, Maxxium. Galliano is packaged in a distinctively-shaped bottle, which is reminiscent of a classical Roman column. Several other liqueurs are also produced under the Galliano brand name, including a black Sambuca, a white Sambuca and an amaretto, which are predominantly distributed in Australasia, where the products are popular as shooters. Galliano also makes Galliano Ristretto coffee flavored liqueur and Galliano Balsamico, presumably a balsamic vinegar infused liqueur.

Galliano is the key ingredient of the Harvey Wallbanger. Because of this, popular drinks made with a float of Galliano often include the words "wall" and/or "bang" in their names. An example of this is the Hillary Wallbanger, a white wine–based version of the Harvey Wallbanger.

Galliano is also a key ingredient in mixed cocktails such as the Yellow Bird, Golden Cadillac, Golden Dream, and Sailor Venus.

by wikipedia