Aviation
Gin, maraschino, lemon and a touch of violette. Pale, floral and elegantly tart.
About the Aviation
The Aviation was created around 1916 by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York City, and published in his 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. The original combined gin, maraschino, lemon and crème de violette, the last of which gives the drink its pale sky-blue colour and its name.
The drink almost vanished. Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book printed it without the violette, and for decades the liqueur was hard to find in the United States. The Aviation came back in the 2000s, helped by the reintroduction of Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette in 2007 and the craft-cocktail revival.
Today it is a bartender’s favourite: delicate, aromatic and floral without being sweet, with juniper up front, lemon for sharpness and a cherry-almond depth from the maraschino. Keep the violette small, since too much turns soapy.
The Classic Recipe
Classic Aviation — Serves 1
- 60ml (2 oz) gin
- 15ml (0.5 oz) maraschino liqueur
- 7.5ml (0.25 oz) crème de violette
- 22.5ml (0.75 oz) fresh lemon juice
- Brandied cherry or lemon twist, to garnish
Method
- Place a coupe in the freezer or fill it with ice water.
- Add the gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice to a shaker with ice. Shake hard until well chilled.
- Discard the ice water and double-strain into the chilled coupe.
- Drop in a brandied cherry, or express a lemon twist over the surface.
Tips for the Best Aviation
- Go lightly on the violette. A quarter ounce is plenty. Too much tastes soapy and swamps the gin.
- Use a proper maraschino. Luxardo-style maraschino has a dry, funky cherry-almond character that sweeter cherry liqueurs lack.
- Squeeze fresh lemon. The drink is balanced on a knife-edge, so bottled juice shows immediately.
- Double-strain and serve very cold. Fine straining gives a clean, silky pour, and a frozen coupe keeps it crisp.
- Taste and adjust. Brands of violette differ in strength, so nudge the measure up or down by a few millilitres to suit.
Popular Variations
Savoy-style (no violette)
The simpler 1930 version: gin, maraschino and lemon. Paler, tarter and easy to make with a basic bar.
Blue Moon
Gin, lemon and violette or Parfait Amour, without the maraschino, for a softer floral sour.
1916 original
Ensslin’s recipe used more violette than modern versions, giving a stronger colour and floral note.
Aviation riffs
Bartenders add Aperol or other modifiers, or swap in honey, for modern twists on the template.
Where to Buy
The Aviation depends on two specialty bottles. These are the styles to look for.
Luxardo Maraschino Originale
The benchmark maraschino: dry, nutty and cherry-bright. Also useful in many other classics.
Check price on AmazonRothman & Winter Crème de Violette
The bottle that brought the Aviation back. Delicate and floral; a small bottle goes a long way.
Check price on AmazonHow to Serve
Glass: A chilled coupe or Nick & Nora. The wide bowl showcases the pale blue-lavender colour and the floral aroma.
Ice: Served up, with no ice in the glass. Shake with plenty of good ice and double-strain to keep tiny shards out of the drink.
Batching for a crowd: Pre-mix the gin, maraschino and violette, and add lemon juice no more than a few hours ahead. Add roughly 15–20ml of water per serving to account for dilution, chill thoroughly, then pour and garnish. Shaking to order gives the best texture.
Related Database Entries
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