Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- .5 oz Cherry Liqueur
- .25 oz Crem De Violette
- .75 oz Lime Juice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.
- Shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a cherry if desired.
Notes
- For a less tart version, adjust the lemon juice to your taste.
- Crème de violette is essential for the classic Aviation's color and floral note.
- Always use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
Hugo Ensslin printed the recipe in his 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks, working at the Hotel Wallick in New York. The original called for gin, lemon, maraschino, and creme de violette. Harry Craddock left the violette out of the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930 because the liqueur had become hard to find, and an entire generation of bartenders learned a wrong, paler-blue version of the drink.
Creme de violette came back to the US market in 2007 with Rothman and Winter and quickly with Tempus Fugit. The proper Aviation immediately reclaimed its reputation. The drink's name comes from the era: 1916 was peak aviation enthusiasm, three years after Wilbur Wright's death.
What it tastes like
Lemon, gin botanicals, the nutty-stone-fruit complexity of maraschino, and the unmistakable parma-violet sweets aroma of creme de violette. The colour is the give-away: a soft pale grey-blue.
It drinks like a fancy gin sour with a perfumed top note. The violette is divisive; some palates find it soapy. Used in moderation (5 to 7ml) it's subtle and floral. Heavy-handed pours turn the drink into a candy.
The technique
45ml gin, 22ml fresh lemon, 15ml Luxardo maraschino, 7ml creme de violette. Shake with ice for 12 seconds and double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry on a pick.
Less is more on the violette. Most modern recipes call for 7ml or less. If you go higher you cross into perfume territory. Always add violette last so you can adjust by smell.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The gin
- Use
- Plymouth, Beefeater, Tanqueray, or any London Dry
- Skip
- Heavily floral or modern gins (clash with the violette)
- Why
- You want clean botanicals. The drink already has serious aromatics from violette and maraschino.
The maraschino
- Use
- Luxardo Maraschino Originale
- Skip
- Maraschino cherry juice (different product)
- Why
- Real maraschino is dry and faintly bitter. Cherry juice is sugar.
The creme de violette
- Use
- Rothman and Winter or Tempus Fugit
- Skip
- Cheap floral cordial or violet syrup
- Why
- Real violette is delicate. Cheap subs taste like soap.
Variations
Other pre-Prohibition gin classics with serious bartender pedigrees.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Skip it and you've made an Aviation Sans Violette (still good). Or use 5ml Yvette (similar but sweeter).
A drop of cherry liqueur plus a touch of orange flower water. The flavour profile won't match exactly.
Don't. Bottled juice flattens the entire drink. Get fresh lemons or skip making this drink.
A clean contemporary gin with juniper character (Hendrick's, Sipsmith) works.
Drop violette to 3 to 5ml. Or use a 1:1 split of violette and elderflower liqueur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in an Aviation cocktail?
Gin, fresh lemon juice, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and creme de violette. Standard spec: 45ml gin, 22ml lemon, 15ml maraschino, 7ml creme de violette.
How do you make an Aviation?
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds and double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry on a pick.
Where did the Aviation come from?
Hugo Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks, 1916. Ensslin worked at the Hotel Wallick in New York. The drink was named after the early-aviation enthusiasm of the era.
Why is the Aviation a different colour from photos?
Two reasons. The classic version with creme de violette is pale lavender or grey-blue. The Savoy Cocktail Book version (1930) left the violette out and printed a paler version. Both versions exist depending on the bar.
What does creme de violette taste like?
Soft floral, parma-violet sweets, slight earthy note. Used in small amounts it adds aroma. Used heavily it tastes like soap. The Aviation needs only 7ml.
What gin should I use?
Plymouth, Beefeater, or Tanqueray. London Dry style. Avoid heavily floral gins; they fight the violette.
Aviation vs Last Word?
Both are pre-Prohibition gin classics with maraschino. Aviation uses lemon and violette; Last Word uses lime and green Chartreuse. Different botanicals, different drinks.
How strong is an Aviation?
Around 24 to 27 percent ABV in the glass after dilution. A serious cocktail.
Should I add an egg white?
Some bartenders do for a foamier mouthfeel. Most don't. The classic recipe is no egg white.
What glass should I use?
A coupe or Nick and Nora. The drink is served up. The pale colour shows best in a clear, simple glass.
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