The Aviation is a bootlegger cocktail from New York, 1917. Built on london dry gin, served in a coupe, around 25% ABV. Hugo Ensslin's original 1917 recipe pours pale lavender.
What goes in a Aviation?
- ·2 oz London Dry gin
- ·1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- ·1/4 oz maraschino liqueur
- ·1/4 oz crème de violette
- ·Brandied cherry
How do you make a Aviation?
- Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for 12 seconds until very cold.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with the cherry.
What should you know before making a Aviation?
- Use a London Dry like Tanqueray or Beefeater, not a contemporary citrus-forward gin. The juniper holds the floral.
- If the drink is grey instead of lavender, your crème de violette has gone bad or you used too much.
- Maraschino liqueur is not the same as cherry syrup from the maraschino-cherry jar. Use Luxardo Maraschino Originale.
Where did the Aviation come from?
Hugo Ensslin's original 1917 recipe pours pale lavender. The crème de violette dropped out of US distribution after Prohibition; mid-century editions of the Aviation are clear, missing half the drink. The original lavender color came back to American bars in 2007 when Rothman & Winter started importing crème de violette to the US again.
According to Hugo Ensslin, Recipes for Mixed Drinks (1917). The last bartender's manual published before American Prohibition.
What cocktails are similar to a Aviation?
Common questions.
What color is an Aviation cocktail?
Pale lavender, almost robin's-egg blue. The color comes from crème de violette, a violet-flavored liqueur. If your Aviation is clear or grey, the violette is missing or oxidized.
Where can I buy crème de violette?
Most US liquor stores stock Rothman & Winter or Giffard. The liqueur was largely unavailable in the US between 1960 and 2007 because of post-Prohibition distribution gaps.
What's the difference between an Aviation and a Blue Moon cocktail?
The Aviation has maraschino liqueur. The Blue Moon does not. They are sister cocktails from the same New York bar scene of the 1910s.
What does an Aviation taste like?
Floral, slightly bitter, with a tart citrus snap. The maraschino adds a faint cherry note. The whole drink should read elegant, not sweet.