Aviation
Floral, crisp, vintage.
Gin, maraschino and lemon, with a touch of crème de violette that gives the drink its famous pale lilac hue, like a sky at dawn. Fresh and dry, with a gentle floral finish.
- IBA · The Unforgettables
- Aperitif
- Shaken
- Glass
- Cocktail glass
- Method
- Shaken
- Strength
- Strong
- Time
- 3 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Ice
- No ice
Ingredients
Measures for 1 serving
-
Gin
45 ml
-
Maraschino liqueur
15 ml
-
Lemon juice
15 ml
-
Crème de violette
1 barspoon
Garnish
- Maraschino cherry (optional)
Proportions
How to make
- Chill a cocktail glass.
- Pour the gin into the shaker.
- Add the maraschino liqueur.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Add a barspoon of crème de violette.
- Shake with cracked ice.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- If you like, add a maraschino cherry.
The story
Origins
ProbableA plausible account, without definitive proof.
The Aviation is credited to Hugo R. Ensslin, head bartender at New York's Hotel Wallick, who published it in 1916 in his book Recipes for Mixed Drinks: the recipe already included crème de violette, responsible for the sky-blue tint suggested by the name, in an age fascinated by flight. In 1930 Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book printed it without violette, with only gin, maraschino and lemon, and for decades that was the best-known version, partly because the liqueur was hard to find. Its rediscovery came with the classic cocktail revival: in the United States crème de violette became available again in 2006-2007, when Haus Alpenz began importing Rothman & Winter's Austrian bottling.
Taste profile
- Citrus
- 3 out of 5
- Strong
- 3 out of 5
- Sweet
- 2 out of 5
- Herbal
- 2 out of 5
- Sour
- 2 out of 5