The Aviation is a 1916 New York classic, a gin sour with maraschino liqueur and crème de violette that gives the drink its signature sky-blue hue. We make ours with Naught Classic Dry Gin, the juniper-led backbone that holds up beautifully against the lemon and the floral lift of the violette. Elegant, vintage, and unmistakable.
INGREDIENTS:
- 50ml Classic Dry Gin
- 20ml Lemon Juice
- 10ml Maraschino Liqueur
- 5ml Crème de Violette
- 5ml Semi-Rich Sugar Syrup
GARNISH:
- Maraschino Cherry
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all of the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled coupe.
To finish, drop in a Maraschino Cherry.
The Aviation: a quick history
Created by Hugo Ensslin at New York's Hotel Wallick around 1916 and first published in his Recipes for Mixed Drinks in 1917. The drink takes its name from the colour, a soft sky-blue from the crème de violette. Crème de violette fell out of production for decades, so the Aviation lived on without it as a lighter, paler drink. When the liqueur returned to shelves in 2007, bartenders got the original recipe back in full colour.
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- Naught French 75, the champagne classic with Classic Dry gin and lemon
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- Naught Martini, the Classic Dry's purest expression
Frequently asked questions
What is an Aviation cocktail?
The Aviation is a classic gin sour from 1916, made with gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and crème de violette. The crème de violette gives it a soft sky-blue colour, hence the name.
What gin works best for an Aviation?
A juniper-led Classic Dry gin works best. We use Naught Classic Dry Gin, which has the structure to balance the maraschino and violette without being overwhelmed by them.
Why is my Aviation not blue?
The blue hue comes from crème de violette. If you've left it out, or used a brand with weak colour, the drink will look closer to pale yellow. For the proper sky-blue, use a quality crème de violette like Rothman and Winter or Giffard.
Is the Aviation shaken or stirred?
The Aviation is shaken. The citrus needs the dilution and aeration that shaking provides, a stirred Aviation would be flat and unbalanced.
