Gin, maraschino cherry liqueur, lemon juice and the elusive crème de violette liqueur create the classic Aviation cocktail. Recipe below.
THIS CLASSIC GIN COCKTAIL FIRST APPEARED in the early 20th century. Its lively, lemony, floral flavor made it an enduring hit. Then in 1960, its key ingredient went missing and grounded the flight-named drink.
More accurately, the one major European producer of crème de violette liqueur stopped making it, and that made it all but impossible to find in the US. To call crème de violette a key ingredient in the Aviator is an understatement. Made by macerating violet flowers in brandy, it is what gives the drink its signature purple hue—and its floral taste. For a time, bartenders experimented with various substitutes for the liqueur, but nothing was quite as good, so the drink fell by the wayside.
Then in 2007, a Minneapolis importer began importing Rothman & Winter crème de violette from Austria, and a classic cocktail once again took off. We first encountered this beverage when my colleague Andy did a cocktail master class for the office via Zoom. You may recall we shared his recipe for an Elderflower Fizz here back in June.
Besides gin and the crème de violette, the Aviation features maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and a lemon peel garnish (some versions advocate a maraschino cherry instead—either is fine). A coupe or martini glass is perfect for serving this drink. Be aware that, aside from the lemon juice, the Aviation is all booze—three ounces of it. Sip slowly.
Aviation
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin (we used Bombay Sapphire)
- 1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur (we used Luxardo)
- 1/2 ounce crème de violette (we used Rothman & Winter)
- 3/4 fresh lemon juice
- lemon peel for garnish optional
Instructions
- Combine all liquids in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until very cold, at least 20 seconds.
- Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Add garnish and serve.
Such a great drink! I go back and forth between whether I like it better with or without the crème de violette. I used to think without; but these days I’m more inclined towards with. Haven’t had one of these beauties for a while, and I DO happen to have some crème de violette on hand (the Rothman and Winter brand, as it happens), so I should do a taste test. Great picture, BTW.
Thanks, John! That’s a big compliment, considering your beautiful photography.
I hope no pilots drink one before flying, though they might have trouble getting into the cockpit.
I had to double-check after reading the ingredients that it was just one cocktail.
The photograph goes perfectly with the name ~ it looks like the glass is above the clouds.