Aviation Cocktail - A Beautiful Mess

I’m so excited to share this Aviation cocktail recipe with you today. This bright purple classic cocktail is made with gin, crème de violette, maraschino liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It has a sophisticated flavor that is the closest thing to a fancy bar I can create at home.

More classic cocktails: Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Gimlet, Sidecar, Sazerac.

Ingredients

Gin – Choose a quality gin (I used Hendrick’s).
Maraschino Liqueur – Such as Luxardo.
Crème De Violette – Floral liqueur. This key ingredient gives the drink its color.
Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed.
Optional Garnish – Maraschino cherry, lemon twist.

The best glassware choice for this cocktail is a coupe glass.

Instructions

Begin by preparing a chilled coupe glass. Just pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before serving your cocktail. This step is optional

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine gin, maraschino liqueur, violet liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Shake for 10-15 seconds until icy cold.

Strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or a lemon twist.

What is Crème De Violette?

Violet liqueur is really made of violets. It is made by submerging violet petals in brandy or another neutral spirit for several days. The flavor of violet liqueur is similar to violet candies—sweet and floral.

History

The Aviation cocktail is a classic, pre-Prohibition-era cocktail. It was first documented at the turn of the 20th century in Hugo Ensslin’s book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” in 1916. At the time, Hugo Ensslin was the head bartender at Hotel Wallick in New York City.

During the 1960s, the drink’s key ingredient, crème de violette liqueur, disappeared from the market. As a result, this recipe fell out of popularity for a time. In the 1930s, Harry Craddock included a violette-less version of the Aviation in his famous book, “The Savoy Cocktail Book.” Sadly, this purple drink was all but extinct for more than 40 years.

In 2007, importer Haus Alpenz began importing Rothman & Winter crème de violette from Austria. This came at the perfect time as classic cocktails had a huge resurgence in popularity. Now you can find the Aviation on menus across the U.S. and beyond. Currently, The Bitter Truth and Giffard also now offer violet liqueurs that work well for this recipe.

Tips for Making

It’s such a pro move to make a chilled cocktail glass. Just pop the glass into the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before using.
Squeeze the outside of a lemon peel over this drink before serving to release lemon essence for extra flavor.
Use the best gin from your home bar for this cocktail since you can really taste the flavor.
If you like sweeter cocktails, try adding 1/8 ounce simple syrup.

Variations

Add a splash of Champagne to Crème De Violette for a Violete Royal cocktail.
If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of violet liqueur, you can make this recipe without it. It is still delicious but lacks the distinctive lavender hue.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Aviation cocktail?

This cocktail is named after the pale purple and blue color which is reminiscent of a beautiful sky. The Aviation originates from the early days of aeronautics when airplane travel was a luxury that only the wealthy could afford.

What is in an Aviation cocktail?

The ingredients in an Aviation cocktail are gin, maraschino liqueur, violet liqueur and freshly squeezed lime juice.

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Learn to make the classic Aviation cocktail using gin, maraschino liqueur, creme de violette liqueur and lemon juice.

Yield 1 cocktail

Prep 5 minutes

Instructions

Begin by preparing a chilled coupe glass. Just pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before serving your cocktail. This step is optional.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine gin, maraschino liqueur, violet liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Shake for 10-15 seconds until icy cold.
Strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or a lemon twist.

Notes

It’s such a pro move to make a chilled cocktail glass. Just pop the glass into the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour before using.
Squeeze the outside of a lemon peel over this drink before serving to release lemon essence for extra flavor.
Use the best gin from your home bar for this cocktail since you can really taste the flavor.
If you like sweeter cocktails, try adding 1/8 ounce simple syrup.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Aviation Cocktail

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Aviation Cocktail – A Beautiful Mess