073 – Harvey Wallbanger

A 2022 re-discovery of the classic ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ cocktail.

What started as a Covid lock-down activity, in the 105-day Sydney second-wave of the Delta-strain, is now a continuing journey through the cocktail’s of the past. This time, we are making the ‘Harvey Wallbanger’, a survivor from the 1960’s and 1970’s – the age of Disco.

Make your own ‘mix-at-home’ #Locktail the ‘Harvey Wallbanger’.

METHOD – Build in a tall glass (Highball or Collins) filled with pieces of ice (crushed, cubes or small pieces). Add 45ml Vodka and enough orange juice to almost fill the glass (around 120-150ml), then float 20ml of Galliano on top (use Galliano L’Autentico for the most authentic recipe) and garnish with a slice of fresh orange and a maraschino cherry.

HISTORICAL NOTES – The ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ most likely started out as a Duke’s Screwdriver (Galliano, Vodka and OJ), created by Donato ‘Duke’ Antone at his Duke’s Blackwatch Bar on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in around 1952. The three-time world champion mixologist is also credited with over 50 cocktail creations, including the Italian Fascination and Freddy Fudpucker (Galliano, Tequila and OJ).

The name change, came about in 1966 in a collaboration between Donato Antone and George Bednar. Bednar was the Marketing Director of McKesson Imports who handled Galliano in the USA. Bednar coined the marketing phrase “Harvey Wallbanger is the name. And I can be made!”, and commissioned a graphic artist, Bill Young, to develop an illustrated mascot ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ for the drink that would support sales of Galliano.

The 1970’s and the ‘Disco Era’ became the glory days of the Harvey Wallbanger. Although Galliano originated in 1896, it had it’s alcohol content lowered from 40% to 35% in the 1970’s and then a further recipe change in the 1990’s replacing vanilla essence with flavoring and lowering the alcohol content even further to 30%. To make an authentic 1950’s to 1970’s ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ today, you need to use Galliano L’Autentico, reintroduced by Bols in 2006, made to the original recipe and bottled at 42.3% ABV.

THE OFFICIAL MIX – The ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ cocktail does not appear in the International Bartender Association’s (IBA) cocktail listings. In fact only three of their official cocktails include Galliano, the Golden Dream, Baracuda and Yellow Bird. The closest to an official recipe is that printed in the ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ posters of the 1960s’ instructing the ‘and I can be made!’, to include 180ml Orange Juice, 30ml Vodka and either a splash (or 15ml) of Galliano stirred with ice.

Most other recipes however shift from 30ml Vodka to 45ml Vodka and often use less Orange Juice.

TASTING NOTES – The experience is effectively drinking a Screwdriver (orange juice and vodka) through a layer of Galliano, imparting the aniseed and licorice flavour with notes of vanilla and a strong alcohol boost. For fans of aniseed flavour, this is a very pleasing and refreshing cocktail, especially when super-cold and using very fresh (ideally freshly squeezed) orange juice.

LOCKTAIL CHANGES – I have reverted as close as possible to the recipes published on the advertising posters of the 1960s. My only changes are the contemporary preference for slightly more alcohol, increasing the Vodka from 30ml to 45ml, and increasing the Galliano from 15ml to 20ml. I always make this cocktail with freshly squeezed and strained orange juice and when possible with the Galliano L’Autentico product. As reintroduced by Bols in 2006 and closest to the original Galliano flavour that would have been used by Donato ‘Duke’ Antone and imported into the USA by George Bednar.

For those who do not like the Galliano flavour, make your own version floating your favourite spirit or liqueur over a Screwdriver instead of the Galliano.

YOUR LOCKTAIL EXPERIENCE – If you’d rather taste than read, I am progressively building an ingredient list and other sourcing information on this site. I will re-use ingredients where I can (good for my budget too), so that the cost goes down overtime if you are ‘playing at home’.

Let me know what you think.

Cocktails you’d like reinvented.

Recipes you’ve tried and your ‘score’.

This is third cocktail from the 1961-1970 bracket of ‘Locktail’ remixes. Full list in the index.