Aviation (cocktail)
The aviation is a classic cocktail made with gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice. Some recipes omit the crème de violette. It is served straight up, in a cocktail glass.
| IBA official cocktail | |
|---|---|
Aviation cocktail | |
| Type | Cocktail |
| Base spirit | |
| Served | Straight up: chilled, without ice |
| Standard garnish | cherry |
| Standard drinkware | Cocktail glass |
| IBA specified ingredients |
|
| Preparation | Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry. |
| Commonly served | All day |
| Some recipes include crème de violette or Creme Yvette. Aviation recipe at International Bartenders Association | |
History
The aviation was created by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, in the early twentieth century.[1] The first published recipe for the drink appeared in Ensslin's 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Ensslin's recipe called for 1½ oz. El Bart gin, ¾ oz. lemon juice, 2 dashes maraschino liqueur, and 2 dashes crème de violette, a violet liqueur which gives the cocktail a pale purple color.[2]
Harry Craddock's influential Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) omitted the crème de violette, calling for a mixture of two-thirds dry gin, one-third lemon juice, and two dashes of maraschino.[3] Many later bartenders have followed Craddock's lead, leaving out the difficult-to-find violet liqueur.[4]
Creme Yvette, a violet liqueur made with additional spices, is sometimes substituted for crème de violette.[5]
Related cocktails
- The aviation can be considered a variation on the Gin sour, using maraschino as its sweetener.[3]
- The Blue Moon cocktail is made with gin, lemon juice, and crème de violette or Creme Yvette, without maraschino.[6]
- The Moonlight cocktail is made with gin, lime juice, Cointreau, and crème de violette.[7]
- Takumi's aviation is made with gin, maraschino liqueur, parfait d'amour, and lemon juice. The drink was created by Takumi Watanabe. It was recorded in Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology (2017).[8]
See also
- List of cocktails
- List of cocktails (alphabetical)
- List of IBA official cocktails
- El-Bart Gin (Camberwell Distillery) Company Ltd #13413267
References
- ^ Hess, Robert. "Aviation". Drinkboy.com. from the original on 21 January 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
- ^ Ensslin, Hugo (2009) [1917]. Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Mud Puddle Books Inc. ISBN 978-1-60311-190-4.
- ^ a b Craddock, Harry (1930). The Savoy Cocktail Book. London: Constable & Co. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-62654-0644.
- ^ Regan, Gary (2003). The Joy of Mixology. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers. p. 209. ISBN 0-609-60884-3.
- ^ "Spirits: We Want Creme Yvette!". The Washington Post. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ^ "Blue Moon Cocktail". The Washington Post. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ^ Regan, Gary (28 September 2007). "The Cocktailian: Creme de violette lifts Aviation to the moon". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "Takumi's Aviation". Gary Regan. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2022.