Uploaded November 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
How to make the classic, pre-Prohibition Aviation cocktail using the original recipe of Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Crème de Violette (or in this case Liqueur de Violettes), Lemon Juice and a Maraschino Cherry for garnish.
The Aviation is a great drink and a real crowd pleaser. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like it. It’s currently experiencing a bit of a renaissance. The recipe first appeared in print in 1916 in Hugo Ensslin’s book, Recipes for Mixed Drinks. A drink by the same name was mentioned in print a couple years earlier, but there was no recipe so it may not have been the same concoction. That’s something for the historians to work out. The drink was included in the famous cocktail tome, The Savoy Cocktail Book, from 1930. However the Savoy recipe dropped the Crème de Violette. This, combined with the fact that it was hard to find Crème de Violette in the later 20th century, particularly in the US, helped the recipe lose touch with its violet liqueur roots.
Luckily, Crème de Violette is much easier to find these days, so the drink can be made with the original ingredients. Crème de Violette is made with violets usually in a brandy base with sugar added to make it a liqueur. It is usually a very dark purple that is reminiscent of violets, however, this is achieved with the use of dyes. When thinned out in the Aviation, the purple color of the Crème de Violette tints the drink a color closer to a sky blue, which is most likely the reason for its name.
I used a violet liqueur instead of a crème in this drink because it is less sweet than a Crème de Violette and it’s what I happened to have behind my bar. Crèmes contain more sugar than liqueurs and, in the case of Crème de Violette, some have a soapy aftertaste. This violet liqueur is sweet and has a rich, floral taste of violets, but without any of the dangers of tasting like a bath bomb. Unfortunately, the pink-hued Aviation is not as satisfying aesthetically as it is when it’s made with Crème de Violette. The sky blue is part of the appeal. It’s not the intense, almost frighteningly artificial, royal blue of a blue curaçao, but the bluish color can be part of the appeal of the Aviation.
To me, it’s not a deal breaker. The taste is what sells me. This version, although in different ratios than the original and colored pink, is my favorite. It still captures the intent of the original recipe better than the Savoy version.
Feel free to play around with the gins here. I like using new wave style gins like St. George’s High Rye in this one, but it’s really hard to beat a classic London dry as the base.
As with all cocktails that use citrus juice, don't mess around with the lemon juice. Take a few minutes and squeeze it yourself. It will make a world of difference and you’ll be much happier with the result.
Another slight difference from the original recipe is the garnish. There was no garnish listed in the original, but a maraschino cherry works wonders here. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to make your own, be sure to use a real, good quality maraschino cherry and not a blanched and chemically pickled sundae cherry.
Both my favorite recipe and the original recipe are listed below. Make it the way you like it. If you’ve got to have it sky blue, go for it. If you like it without the garnish, leave it out. If you’re like me and enjoy it with the less sweet violet liqueur or prefer the pink color, knock yourself out. However you prefer it, it’s sure to be a favorite for you and your guests at your next party. Cheers!
Recipe:
2 oz Gin
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz Creme de Violette (in this case Violet Liqueur)
garnish Maraschino Cherry
Shake with ice. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with Maraschino Cherry.
Original 1916 Hugo Ensslin Recipe:
1.5 oz Gin (London Dry)
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.25 tsp Maraschino
0.25 tsp Crème de Violette
Shake with ice. Strain into chilled glass.
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facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits
instagram.com/distinguishedspirits
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Featured in the Episode:
Beefeater Gin
beefeatergin.com/our-gin/beefeater-dry
Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
anchordistilling.com/brand/luxardo/#maraschino
Tempus Fugit Liqueur de Violettes
tempusfugitspirits.com/liqueurs-cremes
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
amzn.to/1I5zIjJ
Bar Tools:
Nick & Nora Glass
amzn.to/3amyeI0
OXO Graduated Double Jigger
amzn.to/1EP3Cp8
Barspoon
amzn.to/1FfLxB4
Shaker
amzn.to/1QgOg3l
Citrus Juicer (Lemon)
amzn.to/1V7xQi6
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1QgQTSW
Small Knife
amzn.to/1KDFQoc
How to make the classic, pre-Prohibition Aviation cocktail using the original recipe of Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Crème de Violette (or in this case Liqueur de Violettes), Lemon Juice and a Maraschino Cherry for garnish.
The Aviation is a great drink and a real crowd pleaser. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like it. It’s currently experiencing a bit of a renaissance. The recipe first appeared in print in 1916 in Hugo Ensslin’s book, Recipes for Mixed Drinks. A drink by the same name was mentioned in print a couple years earlier, but there was no recipe so it may not have been the same concoction. That’s something for the historians to work out. The drink was included in the famous cocktail tome, The Savoy Cocktail Book, from 1930. However the Savoy recipe dropped the Crème de Violette. This, combined with the fact that it was hard to find Crème de Violette in the later 20th century, particularly in the US, helped the recipe lose touch with its violet liqueur roots.
Luckily, Crème de Violette is much easier to find these days, so the drink can be made with the original ingredients. Crème de Violette is made with violets usually in a brandy base with sugar added to make it a liqueur. It is usually a very dark purple that is reminiscent of violets, however, this is achieved with the use of dyes. When thinned out in the Aviation, the purple color of the Crème de Violette tints the drink a color closer to a sky blue, which is most likely the reason for its name.
I used a violet liqueur instead of a crème in this drink because it is less sweet than a Crème de Violette and it’s what I happened to have behind my bar. Crèmes contain more sugar than liqueurs and, in the case of Crème de Violette, some have a soapy aftertaste. This violet liqueur is sweet and has a rich, floral taste of violets, but without any of the dangers of tasting like a bath bomb. Unfortunately, the pink-hued Aviation is not as satisfying aesthetically as it is when it’s made with Crème de Violette. The sky blue is part of the appeal. It’s not the intense, almost frighteningly artificial, royal blue of a blue curaçao, but the bluish color can be part of the appeal of the Aviation.
To me, it’s not a deal breaker. The taste is what sells me. This version, although in different ratios than the original and colored pink, is my favorite. It still captures the intent of the original recipe better than the Savoy version.
Feel free to play around with the gins here. I like using new wave style gins like St. George’s High Rye in this one, but it’s really hard to beat a classic London dry as the base.
As with all cocktails that use citrus juice, don't mess around with the lemon juice. Take a few minutes and squeeze it yourself. It will make a world of difference and you’ll be much happier with the result.
Another slight difference from the original recipe is the garnish. There was no garnish listed in the original, but a maraschino cherry works wonders here. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to make your own, be sure to use a real, good quality maraschino cherry and not a blanched and chemically pickled sundae cherry.
Both my favorite recipe and the original recipe are listed below. Make it the way you like it. If you’ve got to have it sky blue, go for it. If you like it without the garnish, leave it out. If you’re like me and enjoy it with the less sweet violet liqueur or prefer the pink color, knock yourself out. However you prefer it, it’s sure to be a favorite for you and your guests at your next party. Cheers!
Recipe:
2 oz Gin
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz Creme de Violette (in this case Violet Liqueur)
garnish Maraschino Cherry
Shake with ice. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with Maraschino Cherry.
Original 1916 Hugo Ensslin Recipe:
1.5 oz Gin (London Dry)
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.25 tsp Maraschino
0.25 tsp Crème de Violette
Shake with ice. Strain into chilled glass.
Follow Us!
facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits
instagram.com/distinguishedspirits
twitter.com/DistinguishedSp
pinterest.com/DistinguishedSp
Featured in the Episode:
Beefeater Gin
beefeatergin.com/our-gin/beefeater-dry
Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
anchordistilling.com/brand/luxardo/#maraschino
Tempus Fugit Liqueur de Violettes
tempusfugitspirits.com/liqueurs-cremes
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
amzn.to/1I5zIjJ
Bar Tools:
Nick & Nora Glass
amzn.to/3amyeI0
OXO Graduated Double Jigger
amzn.to/1EP3Cp8
Barspoon
amzn.to/1FfLxB4
Shaker
amzn.to/1QgOg3l
Citrus Juicer (Lemon)
amzn.to/1V7xQi6
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1QgQTSW
Small Knife
amzn.to/1KDFQoc
