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Galliano, in the bottle and in the glass

Galliano is an alcoholic drink created in 1896 by Italian distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari of Livorno in Tuscany. The brand is now owned by Dutch distiller Lucas Bols. It is a blend of over 30 local and exotic ingredients such as star anise, peppermint, ginger, and citrus, then infused with vanilla^[1]. The spirit was named after Giuseppe Galliano, hero of the First Italo–Ethiopian War at the end of the 19th century. It is 60 proof (30% by volume).

Original Galliano is a bright yellow color, to symbolize the Gold Rushes that were taking many Italians overseas. Other variations were made that are no longer produced. Opal, a Sambuca, was almost black. A white sambuca, an amaretto, and other flavors were also bottled under the Galliano brand. Galliano is packaged in a distinctive tall bottle, shaped reminiscent of a classical Roman column. Galliano is usually stored on the top shelf by bartenders because it is considered a premium liqueur and also because of the unusual shape of the bottle. The yellow color comes from Tartrazine, a lemon yellow azo dye.

Because the flavour is strongly anise and unusual, it can be difficult to mix with other liqueurs^{[citation needed]}. It is often used to make Harvey Wallbangers and is an ingredient in a variant of the Screaming Orgasm. In the parlance of bartending, a splash of Galliano is floated on the top of cocktails that have been ordered "against the wall" (from Harvey Wallbangers). In Australasia, it is popular as a shooter.

More than half of all the Galliano sold in the United States is consumed by a single location: Poor Red's restaurant and saloon in El Dorado, California. Poor Red's is famous for its Golden Cadillac: a blend of Galliano, white creme de cacao, and half-and-half. For information on Poor Red's, visit http://poor-reds-book.com.