Harvey Wallbanger
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 14.6% ABV ∙
The Harvey Wallbanger is vodka and orange juice over ice with a Galliano L'Autentico float — the vanilla-anise liqueur that makes it more than a Screwdriver.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir the first 4 ingredients with ice: Vodka 45 mlOrange juice 70 mlSugar syrup 5 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes (opt.)
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Float Galliano L’Autentico liqueur 15 ml on the surface
- Garnish with an orange slice
Tips
- Stir the vodka, orange juice, syrup and the bitters, if you use them, with ice, then strain over fresh ice; the Galliano goes in last.
- Pour the Galliano slowly over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top instead of mixing straight into the juice.
History
The Harvey Wallbanger is a vodka-and-orange-juice screwdriver given a splash of the Italian liqueur Galliano, and its rise is tied to a 1969 marketing campaign for Galliano run by McKesson Imports Company. Marketing director George Bednar pushed the drink into bars and commissioned graphic artist Bill Young to create a sandal-wearing surfer mascot with the tagline "Harvey Wallbanger is the name. And I can be made!" The campaign helped quadruple Galliano's sales and made the drink a fixture of 1970s bar culture, sold in pre-mixed bottles and dry-mix form.
The drink's earlier origin is murkier. Popular legend credits bartender Donato "Duke" Antone with inventing it in 1952 at a Sunset Strip bar, naming it for a heartbroken surfer named Tom Harvey who banged his head against the wall after a run of Galliano-spiked screwdrivers. Cocktail writer Robert Simonson and others have called this story implausible, since Antone was running a bartending school in Hartford, Connecticut at the time and no record of the bar or the surfer has been found. Some, including Antone's own grandson, have suggested he instead renamed an existing drink once called "Duke's Screwdriver" rather than inventing it outright. It remains open whether Antone designed the cocktail for Galliano's marketers or the drink was already in circulation before the 1969 campaign popularized it.
FAQ
Why is it called a Harvey Wallbanger?
The name belongs to the surfer mascot of Galliano's 1969 ad campaign. A popular legend says bartender Donato "Duke" Antone named the drink in 1952 for a heartbroken surfer, Tom Harvey, who banged his head against a wall. No record of that surfer has ever been found.
What is the recipe for a Harvey Wallbanger?
Stir 45 ml vodka, 70 ml fresh orange juice, 5 ml sugar syrup and, if you like, 2 dashes of orange bitters with ice. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass, float 15 ml Galliano L'Autentico on top and garnish with an orange slice.
What does Galliano taste like?
Mostly vanilla and anise, with herbal, citrus and spice notes underneath. In a Harvey Wallbanger it floats on top, so the first sip is sweeter and more herbal before the orange juice and vodka come through.
Can you still get Galliano?
Yes, Galliano L'Autentico is still produced and widely available, and it remains the liqueur used to float a Harvey Wallbanger today.
What is a substitute for Galliano in a Harvey Wallbanger?
Nothing matches it exactly. In a pinch, float a little vanilla liqueur or an anise liqueur such as sambuca to mimic its top note. The drink will still taste different, so treat it as a stand-in.
