Liqueurs

Galliano

Galliano L'Autentico is an Italian herbal liqueur led by vanilla and anise, at 42.3% ABV, the strength of the 1896 original. A sweeter Galliano Vanilla at 30% is also sold; every Galliano line in our recipes means L'Autentico. It goes in small measures: 15ml floated on a Harvey Wallbanger, 30ml shaken with crème de cacao and cream in a Golden Cadillac.

Quick Facts

ABV42.3% ABVGalliano L'Autentico; the Vanilla bottling is 30%.

Legal categoryLiqueur

OriginItaly

Flavour Strengthmedium bold

SeasonYear-round (often associated with retro and dessert-style cocktails)

Our keeping timeYears unopened. Once opened, a year or more kept sealed and out of the light; the fruit and aromatics fade first.

Storage

Store upright in a cool, dark place away from direct light. Ensure the cap is tightly sealed after use. Shelf-stable once opened.

Allergens

None of the 14 listed allergens. Recipes change: check the bottle.

The ingredient

About Galliano

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

VanillaAniseHerbal spiceCitrus peel

Tasting Notes

Sweet and aromatic with prominent vanilla upfront, followed by anise, herbal complexity, and a lightly bitter, warming finish.

Vanilla and anise from Livorno, since 1896

Arturo Vaccari created Galliano in Livorno in 1896 and named it after Giuseppe Galliano, an officer in the First Italo-Ethiopian War. It is a herbal liqueur led by vanilla and anise, with more than 25 herbs and spices in all, among them juniper, lavender, coriander and cinnamon. Several are macerated and distilled separately before they are combined.

Over the 20th century the strength came down and, by the 1990s, Galliano was 30% with vanilla flavouring in place of natural vanilla. In 2006 Lucas Bols brought back the original at 42.3% as L'Autentico. Both are on sale, and they do not mix the same way.

Galliano L'Autentico and Galliano Vanilla

Strength

Galliano L'Autentico: 42.3%
Galliano Vanilla: 30%

Recipe

Galliano L'Autentico: The 1896 original, relaunched in 2006
Galliano Vanilla: A 1990s version

Vanilla

Galliano L'Autentico: Natural vanilla, with anise and herbs
Galliano Vanilla: Stronger vanilla, from added flavouring

In our recipes

Galliano L'Autentico: All three use it
Galliano Vanilla: None

	Galliano L'Autentico	Galliano Vanilla
Strength	42.3%	30%
Recipe	The 1896 original, relaunched in 2006	A 1990s version
Vanilla	Natural vanilla, with anise and herbs	Stronger vanilla, from added flavouring
In our recipes	All three use it	None

It is floated on orange juice

In the Harvey Wallbanger, 45ml of vodka and 120ml of orange juice are stirred over ice and 15ml of Galliano is floated on top over a bar spoon. The Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall finishes the same way. Both are served unstirred, so the first sip is vanilla and the rest is orange.

It sweetens the Golden Cadillac

The Golden Cadillac is equal parts Galliano, white crème de cacao and cream, all shaken very hard and double strained. There is no syrup: the two liqueurs carry the sugar, and the Galliano's 30ml makes up one part in three.

Using it

Using Galliano

Usage

15ml floated on top of the Harvey Wallbanger and the Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall, and 30ml in the Golden Cadillac, where it is the main flavour. To float it, run it gently down an upturned spoon resting on the surface, once the drink is built.

Pro Tip

Float the Galliano last, after the orange juice has been stirred in, and serve the drink unstirred. Stirring after the float mixes it through and loses the first sip of vanilla the drink is built around.

Top Tips

Check which bottle you have. Our recipes use L'Autentico at 42.3%; the 30% Vanilla bottling is sweeter and shifts the balance.
Let it be the sweetener. The Golden Cadillac has no syrup; the Galliano and the crème de cacao supply the sugar.
A little goes a long way: 15ml is enough to taste across a highball of orange juice.
Do not treat vanilla liqueur as a stand-in. Galliano's anise and herbs are half of its flavour.

Possible Substitutions

Vanilla liqueur (lacks herbal depth)

Production Method

More than 25 herbs and spices, led by vanilla and anise, several of them macerated and distilled separately and then combined with sugar. Made by Maraschi & Quirici in Chieri.

History & Context

Arturo Vaccari, a distiller in Livorno, created Galliano in 1896 and named it after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian officer in the First Italo-Ethiopian War. Its strength was lowered over the 20th century, to 30% by the 1990s with vanilla flavouring added. In 2006 Lucas Bols relaunched it at 42.3% as L'Autentico, to the original recipe; Maraschi & Quirici make it in Chieri.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is Galliano?

An Italian herbal liqueur, bright yellow, sold in a tall bottle and led by vanilla and anise, with more than 25 herbs and spices including juniper, lavender and cinnamon. The standard bottle, L'Autentico, is 42.3% ABV. It was created in Livorno in 1896 and is now made in Chieri, near Turin.

What does Galliano taste like?

Sweet vanilla first, then anise, with herbs, citrus peel and a little spice behind. It is sweet but not syrupy, and strongly aromatic, which is why recipes use it at 15 to 30ml. The 30% Vanilla bottling leans further towards vanilla and sugar.

How strong is Galliano?

Galliano L'Autentico is 42.3% ABV, the strength of the original 1896 recipe, and our drinks' unit counts rest on it. Galliano Vanilla, made since the 1990s, is 30%. The two balance differently in a drink, so look at which one you have first.

What can I use instead of Galliano?

No single bottle covers it. A vanilla liqueur gives the vanilla without the anise and herbs; a dash of anise liqueur alongside it gets closer. In a Harvey Wallbanger the float is 15ml, so the swap is less noticeable than in a Golden Cadillac, where Galliano is a third of the drink.

Is Galliano the same as sambuca?

No. Sambuca is an anise liqueur, clear and dominated by aniseed. Galliano is vanilla first, with anise and many other herbs and spices behind it. The Galliano brand also sells a sambuca under its name, which causes some of the confusion, but the yellow liqueur in the tall bottle is a different drink.

Does Galliano go off once opened?

No. A liqueur this strong and sweet stays sound for years once open. Cap it and keep it from bright light; the vanilla in particular fades gradually after the seal is broken, so an old bottle tastes flatter rather than spoiled.

Make something

Made with Galliano

Featured In These Cocktails

Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall Golden Cadillac Harvey Wallbanger

Often Used With

Updated 10 October 2026

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