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The aviation co*cktail is a classic vintage co*cktail that has been around since the early 1900s. It’s made with gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and a touch of crème de violette for a unique flavor. The combination of these ingredients gives it a light and refreshing taste that makes it perfect for summer months or special occasions.
Classic co*cktails are my favorite co*cktails to drink. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with the classics. This co*cktail is interesting because even though it has gin in it, it isn’t the star of the co*cktail. The true star is the maraschino cherry liqueur. And, of course, the beautiful color and taste of the violette liqueur.
Flowery liqueurs like crème de Violette and (St. Germain) go well with gin. It’s because gin is made from juniper berries and other botanicals. So, these liqueurs are a natural addition to a co*cktail like the aviation.
Creme de violette has such a deep purple color that just making a co*cktail with the liqueur guarantees it will be pretty.
The history of the aviation co*cktail
Hugo Ensslin, from New York city, first published this beautiful co*cktail in the 1916 Recipes for Mixed drink. It was later republished in the 1930 Savoy co*cktail book, by Harry Craddock.
The aviation was named because of the beautiful purple blue color, which reminded people of the sky.
This co*cktail all but disappeared from people’s memories. The reason for this is that you couldn’t get Creme de Violette easily in the States. It wasn’t until 2007 that the Rothman & Winter liqueur was imported by Austria and bartenders started using the violet liqueur more frequently.
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Helpful
Tips
- The way to pick a great lemon at the market is first to heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones. The next thing is to sniff the skin, you should be able to smell the fruit. But I’ve noticed I can’t smell the lemon as easily as I could even a few years ago.
- Always wash citrus before juicing it to get the pesticides off. Here are two different ways: 1.) Squirt some unscented, natural soap in your hand and rub the skin of the citrus between your palms. Next, take a brushto scrub the skin. Rinse under cold or cool water to get all the soap off.
- 2.) I use a cloth that is rough on one side of it and smooth on the other. I use the rough side to scrub the skin of the vegetable or fruit and then rinse thoroughly under cold or cool water.
- I use Bombay Sapphire gin in this co*cktail but you can use whichever brand you prefer.
- The garnish for this classy co*cktail is maraschino cherries. Since these cherries come in a sweet syrup,always rinse off your cherries because if you don’t, it will add extra sweetness to the drink, which isn’t a good thing.
- Crème of violette is made from violets which gives it such a beautiful hue. There are a few brands of this liqueur. I have the brand Rothman & Winter, but Dillard and Giffard are solid brands.
- I usually chill my co*cktail glasses. My favorite glasses are a chilled coupe or chilled martini glass. I don’t chill them when I photograph my recipes because it takes time to process the shots, so it doesn’t make sense.
How to make the aviation co*cktail recipe
Pre-step
Fill a co*cktail shaker halfway with ice. Get a measuring glass and get two martini glasses.
For the garnish, rinse off 4 maraschino cherries,place two on eachmartini pick and set them aside.
After measuring each of the ingredients below, pour them into the shaker.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – gin, lemon, maraschino liqueur, and crème de violette.
Step two
Measure 4 ounces gin.
Step three
Measure 1.5 ounces Luxardo maraschino liqueur.
Step four
Measure .5 ounce of creme de violette.
Step five
Measure 1.5 ounces lemon juice.
Step six
Place the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain, divide, and pour the liquid between the two glasses.Place the picks with the cherries on the side of the glasses or in the aviation co*cktail recipe.
And the vertical view. Look at that color!
I hope you enjoyed this aviation co*cktail recipe. Give it a try, I think you’ll enjoy it.
Other popular gin recipes
- Frenchie
- Lime rickey
- Pomegranate gin co*cktail
Want to read more about gin? Read my guide here.
And may all your dishes/drinks be delish!
If you’ve tried thisrecipe, I’d love the know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonFACEBOOK,TWITTER,INSTAGRAMandPINTERESTto see more of my delicious food and delightful co*cktails!
Aviation co*cktail Recipe
Gin goes perfectly with the flowery creme de violette and melds wonderfully with the sweetness of the maraschino liqueur and the sour of the lemon.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: co*cktails
Cuisine: American
Keyword: aviation co*cktail, aviation co*cktail recipe, creme de violette co*cktail, maraschino liqueur co*cktail
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 co*cktails
Calories: 233kcal
Author: Elaine Benoit
Ingredients
- 4 ounces gin
- 1.5 ounces maraschino liqueur
- .50 ounce creme de violette
- 1.5 ounces lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Garnish
- 4 maraschino cherries (rinsed)
Instructions
Fill a co*cktail shaker halfway with ice and place 2 cherries on each martini pick,
4 maraschino cherries
Add gin, maraschino liqueur, creme de violette and lemon juice to the co*cktail shaker.
4 ounces gin, 1.5 ounces maraschino liqueur, .50 ounce creme de violette, 1.5 ounces lemon juice
Cap the co*cktail shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain, divide, and pour the liquid between the two glasses. Add cherry picks to the side of the glass.
Sip
Smile
Enjoy
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Notes
Helpful tips
- The way to pick a great lemon at the market is first to heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones. The next thing is to sniff the skin, you should be able to smell the fruit. But I’ve noticed I can’t smell the lemon as easily as I could even a few years ago.
- Always wash citrus before juicing it to get the pesticides off. Here are two different ways: 1.) Squirt some unscented, natural soap in your hand and rub the skin of the citrus between your palms. Next, take a brushto scrub the skin. Rinse under cold or cool water to get all the soap off.
- 2.) I use a cloth that is rough on one side of it and smooth on the other. I use the rough side to scrub the skin of the vegetable or fruit and then rinse thoroughly under cold or cool water.
- I use Bombay Sapphire gin in this co*cktail but you can use whichever brand you prefer.
- The garnish for this classy co*cktail is maraschino cherries. Since these cherries come in a sweet syrup,always rinse off your cherries because if you don’t, it will add extra sweetness to the drink, which isn’t a good thing.
- Crème of violette is made from violets which gives it such a beautiful hue. There are a few brands of this liqueur. I have the brand Rothman & Winter, but Dillard and Giffard are solid brands.
- I usually chill my co*cktail glasses. My favorite glasses are a chilled coupe or chilled martini glass. I don’t chill them when I photograph my recipes because it takes time to process the shots, so it doesn’t make sense.
Nutrition
Serving: 1co*cktail | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 5mg
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Elaine Benoit
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted co*cktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.
