What ingredients are in a Aviation?

4.5 cl Gin, 1.5 cl Lemon Juice, 1.5 cl maraschino liqueur

What glass do you use for a Aviation?

A Aviation is traditionally served in a Verre à Cocktail.

How strong is a Aviation?

A Aviation has an estimated ABV of 23,71%.

How many calories are in a Aviation?

A Aviation contains approximately 151 calories per serving.

What makes the Aviation an IBA official cocktail?

The Aviation is recognized by the International Bartenders Association (IBA) as one of the Unforgettable Cocktails, placing it in the canon of classic drinks that every professional bartender should know. Its combination of gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, and crème de violette creates a distinctive lavender-blue hue and complex floral-citrus flavor.

Why did the Aviation fall out of popularity and then return?

The Aviation's crème de violette ingredient became commercially unavailable in the United States for much of the 20th century, causing many bartenders to omit it and serve a simplified version without the violet liqueur. The cocktail's full renaissance occurred in the early 2000s when Rothman & Winter reintroduced crème de violette to the US market, restoring the drink to its original sky-blue color and floral profile.

What does the Aviation cocktail taste like?

The Aviation delivers a complex balance of botanical gin, bright lemon acidity, sweet cherry nuttiness from maraschino, and delicate floral violet from the crème de violette. The overall impression is elegant and perfumed, with the lemon preventing the floral notes from becoming overwhelming.

Gin, fresh lemon juice, and maraschino liqueur combine in the Aviation, an IBA-recognized classic among its Unforgettable cocktails. Shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass, then garnished with a cherry, the drink balances the gin's botanicals against the cherry and almond notes of the maraschino and the tartness of the lemon. At roughly 24 percent alcohol by volume, it is spirit-forward yet refined, with floral undertones woven through the sour structure. The original formula also includes crème de violette, which lends the cocktail its characteristic lavender color when present.

Aviation

Verre Verre à Cocktail

Difficulté Easy

Calories ~151 kcal

ABV 23,71%

Ingrédients

Gin 4.5 cl
Lemon Juice 1.5 cl
maraschino liqueur 1.5 cl

Instructions

Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

IBA Classic

L'Aviation est un classique « Unforgettable » reconnu par l'IBA qui associe gin, jus de citron frais et liqueur de maraschino pour un cocktail sour équilibré et complexe aux notes florales et de cerise. Avec 23,71 % vol., c'est une boisson axée sur la spiritueux mais très raffinée, qui met en valeur le caractère botanique du gin rehaussé par les notes de cerise et d'amande du maraschino. La recette originale prévoit aussi de la crème de violette, qui lui confère sa teinte lavande emblématique lorsqu'elle est incluse.

History & Origins

The Aviation was created around 1916 by Hugo Ensslin, the head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, and appeared in his 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. The original recipe included crème de violette, which gave the drink its sky-blue color — hence the aviation name — but this ingredient was omitted in many 20th-century versions due to its limited availability. The IBA officially recognized it in its Unforgettables category, cementing its place as one of the great American gin cocktails.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright lemon and gin botanicals lead, with the sweet cherry and almond notes of maraschino in the background. Palate: Crisp and sour from the lemon juice, with the gin's juniper and botanical character providing body and depth; maraschino contributes a distinctive sweet, slightly nutty cherry flavor. Finish: Clean and medium-length, with a pleasant interplay of citrus and cherry.

floral cherry citrusy botanical dry

Pro Tip

Use genuine Luxardo or a quality maraschino liqueur — not maraschino syrup — as the liqueur's distinct flavor is central to the cocktail's character.

Techniques utilisées

Double Filtrage Shaker

Compare Aviation

Gimlet

Martini

Data verified novembre 2016

Informations nutritionnelles →

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