The bang (properly written “bang!”) is a class of mixed drink created, or at least identified and named, by American drinks writer John J. Poister (1924–2011), wherein the ingredients include more than one iteration of the same basic flavor. His Cherry Bang, for example, contains gin, cherry Marnier, kirschwasser, and maraschino liqueur. See kirschwasser and maraschino. A characteristic innovation of the disco drink era, the bang is occasionally still seen.
Poister, John J. New American Bartender’s Guide. New York: Signet, 1989.
By: David Wondrich