Classic Aviation Cocktail

The Aviation cocktail is a 1900’s mixed drink with a gorgeous purple hue! This classic sweet and tangy cocktail is so delicious it’s back in fashion.

Here’s a classic cocktail that’s making a comeback: aviation! This purple cocktail is as good as it looks: it’s tart-sweet, with hints of cherry and floral undertones of maraschino liqueur and crème de violette! To be honest, Alex and I had avoided this drink for quite a while due to the unique specialty ingredients. But that first sip was so intriguing that we immediately agreed: They’re worth buying. It’s a great drink for the adventurous home mixologist who doesn’t mind adding another spirit or two to his collection. (Us.) Here’s how!

What’s in an Aviation Cocktail?

The Aviation cocktail is a gin drink created by a bartender in a New York hotel (Hotel Wallick) in the early 20th century. It’s a fizzy cocktail that combines gin with sweetener and citrus: it’s like a fancy take on a gin sour. The original recipe called for a unique violet liqueur called ​violet cream. But a famous cocktail book published later in 1930 omitted it.

Some bartenders prefer to omit the purple liquor since it can be difficult to find. But with the resurgence in popularity of classic cocktails, they are now more readily available and you can make an Aviation cocktail at home. Aviation is on the International Bartender Association’s official IBA cocktail list, which defines the ingredients of an Aviation as:

• gin
• lemon juice
• Maraschino Liqueur
• Violet cream

Why buy a bottle of Crème de Violette?

Crème de Violette is a special liqueur made from violets. Because this liqueur was just as special then as it is today, it is assumed that aviation was probably only served in elite bars. Creme de Violette was discontinued altogether in the 1960s. It wasn’t until the revival in popularity of classic cocktails that it started again! The Rothman and Winter company released it in 2007, and several other companies have since joined the pack.

If you like good cocktails like us, you should buy a bottle of Crème de Violette to discover a cocktail lost in history! You can now find it in liquor stores. We were able to snag a bottle of Rothman and Winter at our home, which has a great art deco look.

Everything you need to know about Maraschino Liqueur!

Aviation requires another special ingredient that you may not have: Maraschino Liqueur. And no, it’s not the liquid from a jar of maraschino cherries! Maraschino Liqueur is a clear cherry flavored liqueur. The taste is mostly dry but slightly sweet, with hints of sour cherry and almond. There are several brands of maraschino liqueur: one of the most popular is Luxardo (which we found at our local liquor store).

What other drinks use maraschino? A couple of other great maraschino liqueur-based cocktail classics: the Martinez (so good!) and the Hemingway Daiquiri. We can highly recommend them both!

How to make shiny purple aviation

We want to stay true to the classics here. But we’re also making minor changes to the original concept to make things even better. The original recipe for an Aviation cocktail calls for 2 dashes of Crème de Violette, and most recipes call for ¼ ounce. It just adds a hint of light purple undertone to the drink.

But if you’re buying a violet liqueur to make a violet drink, you might as well give it your all! This aviation cocktail recipe calls for twice the traditional crème de violette and maraschino liqueur, so use ½ ounce (equivalent to 1 tablespoon) of each. This enhances the color and brings out the flavor a bit more floral without being overpowering.

Garnish with a Luxardo cherry

The garnish is an important part of any cocktail: especially classic cocktails! The aviation cocktail is traditionally embellished with a Luxardo cherry. What is that? Luxardo cherries are cocktail cherries, but they are so deep red they almost look black. They have a complex, fruity and nutty taste: almost like amaretto. Nothing beats a maraschino cherry!

Luxardo cherries are also popular as a garnish for the classic Manhattan. Where can you find them? It’s easier to order Luxardo cherries online.

When to serve an aviation cocktail

The Aviation cocktail is a sophisticated and sparkling classic cocktail that works anytime! Again, you’ll need two special ingredients, so this is perfect for the adventurous home bartender. Serve as:

• Signature drink (the purple color makes a statement!)
• Happy hour drink
• Drink at dinner
• Late night drinks
• Evening drink between boys or between girls
• Aperitif at aperitif time

Sour cocktails

Acid cocktails are a family of cocktails based on alcohol, acid, and sugar elements. Here are some other classics to try: