Aviation Cocktail

The Aviation is possibly my favorite cocktail of all time. It’s bright, floral, potent, and beautiful. It’s a hugely popular drink with my friends and family too (I’m proud to say I got them hooked), and this is the #1 drink request I get.

Importance of Ratios

The key to making a great Aviation is getting the right balance between tart and sweet. You’re welcome to experiment with the ratios and find your favorite balance, but the ratios below are my preference and are a bit different than what you’ll find in a typical Aviation recipe. I find the generic Aviation you find to be too tart, and some people have “fixed” that by adding a bit of simple syrup, but I’d rather add more liqueur to amplify the flavor while adding to the sweetness, and if you try this recipe I think you’ll agree.

You’ll see that my ratios aren’t in the typical 1/4 oz precision that drink recipes are given in, and that’s because I’ve found through making many, many Aviation’s that adding or removing a small amount of liquid makes all the difference in the world. So when I say that it needs 0.7 oz of lemon juice, you’ll just put in a little bit less than the typical 3/4 oz measure. Same thing for the liqueurs – for 0.4 oz of maraschino just put in a little less than 1/2 oz, and for 0.3 oz of creme de Violette just add a little more than 1/4 oz.

Ingredients

• Lemon juice: There’s no real alternative to fresh lemon juice in a cocktail. If you’re planning on making a bunch of cocktails in an evening go ahead and pre-squeeze those lemons and strain the juice into a bottle. Otherwise just squeeze your lemon right before making the drink.
• Gin: There’s a huge variety of flavor in the gin world, but for an Aviation my preference is a simple London Dry. It’s juniper forward and doesn’t have distracting spicy or sweet notes like other modern gins. A personal favorite is Brokers (affiliate link).
• Luxardo maraschino liqueur: This product is one-of-a-kind, and is a staple in my bar. It’s sweet, complex, and earthy, and while it’s made from cherries there isn’t a strong cherry flavor. Get yourself a big bottle because it’s better value and lasts forever!
• Creme de Violette: Giffards is the traditional choice but it can be a hard to find bottle, so get yourself whatever creme de Violette is available at your local store or get a few bottles from an online supplier like Drizly (affiliate link).

If you follow these steps the result is an incredibly delicious and sophisticated cocktail that you’ll fall in love with! The only downside is any time you order an Aviation at a bar you’ll be a bit disappointed because you’ll know you can do it better at home.