Galliano uses Bourbon vanilla layered over the foundational Italian herbal blend. 30% volume. BOTANICALS: the recipe is built on a beet-alcohol neutral base, weaving Mediterranean anise, cardamom, lavender, peppermint and cinnamon through a slow infusion that integrates the herbal sweetness with the vanilla. Each botanical contributes a distinct band — the peppermint's cooling lift, the anise's central note, the lavender's floral perfume, the cinnamon's warmth — and the Bourbon vanilla pulls them all into a single creamy register. SERVING: chilled neat, or as the signature Harvey Wallbanger (vodka, fresh orange juice, a float of Galliano on top) — the cocktail that put Galliano onto the international bar map in the 1970s. Equally a Galliano Hot Shot (espresso, Galliano, whipped cream, layered) for after dinner. At the table it pairs with vanilla cream desserts, panna cotta, or a black-coffee finish.
Tasting notes
Vivid yellow — the house's signature.
Creamy vanilla over caramel-toffee, peppermint lift, anise, cinnamon, hint of liquorice.
Slightly syrupy attack — peppermint and creamy vanilla lead.
Fresh — black pepper, vanilla, spiced peppermint, hint of anise.
The Italian herbal liqueur invented in 1896 by Tuscan distiller Arturo Vaccari in Livorno as a tribute to Major Giuseppe Galliano, hero of the First Italo-Ethiopian War. The original recipe — over thirty herbs and spices including star anise, Mediterranean anise, juniper, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon and yarrow — has remained the structural backbone of the house. The unmistakable tall yellow bottle is the visual signature, designed to evoke a Roman column and the Mediterranean light.
Difford's Guide — Galliano Vanilla
5 stars - Difford's Guide
