Ingredients
Quality ingredients make all the difference. Each component plays a crucial role.
Method
Technique transforms ingredients into something extraordinary.
Chill a coupe glass
Shake gin, maraschino, crème de violette and lemon with ice until frosty
Double strain into the chilled glass
Garnish with a brandied cherry or lemon twist
Glassware
Served up in a chilled coupe glass
Garnish
Luxardo maraschino cherry
Master's Tips
Professional insights to elevate your craft
Use a light hand with crème de violette
Chill glassware to preserve the delicate aromas
Variations & Riffs
Classic cocktails inspire countless variations. Here are some popular riffs on the Aviation.
Other Variations
Savoy Version
1930 Harry Craddock recipe omitting crème de violette due to scarcity.
Changes
Old Tom Aviation
Swaps London Dry for sweeter Old Tom gin for a rounder profile.
Changes
History & Heritage
“Hugo Ensslin first published the Aviation in his 1916 *Recipes for Mixed Drinks*, a nod to the era's fascination with flight. When crème de violette vanished from shelves mid-century, Harry Craddock's Savoy recipe—sans violet—became the norm and the drink faded from bars. The liqueur's reintroduction in the 2000s sparked a revival, restoring the cocktail's signature sky-blue hue and reestablishing it as a pre-Prohibition gem.”
More to Explore
If you enjoyed this cocktail, these similar creations might capture your interest.
Casino Royale
A sophisticated gin cocktail with maraschino liqueur and lemon juice – elegant, complex, and refined like its namesake casino.
Violette Casino
A sophisticated modern classic that bridges the gap between the Casino and Aviation cocktails, combining Old Tom gin, maraschino liqueur, and a whisper of crème de violette for elegant complexity.
Broken Plane
A darker, more complex cousin to the Aviation that adds Cynar and Amaro to create a bittersweet cocktail evoking the melancholy of grounded flights and mechanical failures.