Harvey Wallbanger

  Posted on November 8, 2011  by Leslie Blythe  No comments

November 8th is National Harvey Wallbanger Day!

Harvey Wallbanger Day, a cocktail made with the Italian herbal liqueur Galliano (more formally, Liquore Galliano L’Autentico) plus vodka and orange juice (think Screwdriver with Galliano).

Galliano liqueur was created in 1896 and named after an Italian war hero, Giuseppe Galliano. It’s flavored with anise, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, juniper, lavender, musk yarrow, peppermint, star anise, and vanilla (the last ingredient being the most prominent, with a second note of anise. The vivid yellow color, chosen to acknowledge the California Gold Rushes of the period, is now made with a lemon-yellow die called tartrazine.

But what about Harvey Wallbanger?

According to legend, he was a Manhattan Beach surfer who patronized Duke’s Blackwatch Bar on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Donato “Duke” Antone, a world champion mixologist, invented the Harvey Wallbanger in 1952. As the lore goes, after losing a competition, the surfer tied one on at the bar, banging into a few walls. (Duke also created the the Rusty Nail, the White Russian and other popular cocktails.)

There are other versions, but here’s the recipe for the Original Harvey Wallbanger recipe….

Harvey Wallbanger

1.25 oz vodka
.5 oz Galliano
3 oz orange juice
Garnish: orange slice
Optional garnish: maraschino cherry
Ice

In a Collins glass or other tall glass filled with ice, mix the vodka and orange juice.

Float Galliano on top and stir.

Garnish with orange slice.

The maraschino cherry was not part of the original recipe, but was added later for color.