Aviation Cocktail Recipe
Gin, maraschino, lemon and crème de violette — floral with a sky-blue hue.
- Category: The Unforgettables
- Glass: Coupe glass
- ABV: 24%
- Difficulty: Medium
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Gin45 ml (1.5 oz)
- Maraschino liqueur15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Fresh lemon juice15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Crème de violette7 ml (0.2 oz)
How to Make It
- Shake all ingredients with ice.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a cherry.
Garnish
Maraschino cherry
What it tastes like
The citrus acidity leads and it carries a floral top note.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
A stemmed, shallow coupe. The stem keeps your hand's warmth away from the drink, and the wide bowl carries the aroma to your nose. Served without ice.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Gin
- London dry gin: juniper up front, citrus and coriander behind it. Brand really does show here — Beefeater is sharp, Hendrick's floral, Tanqueray juniper-heavy.
- Maraschino liqueur
- A clear liqueur made from marasca cherries. It has nothing to do with the red jarred cocktail cherry — it smells of almond kernel and flowers, and it is dry, not sweet.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Freshly squeezed lemon; one lemon gives 30-40 ml. It can swap with lime, but lemon is softer and less aromatic, so use a touch more.
The Story
First published in the 1910s; named for the dawn of the aviation age.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Aviation mixed?
- It is shaken and served in a coupe.
- How strong is a Aviation?
- Roughly 24% ABV as served — in fortified-wine territory — plan it as a single drink.
- Can a Aviation be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Aviation hard to make?
- Moderate. A shaker or mixing glass plus a strainer covers it.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.