The Aviation Cocktail

The hottest new(old) cocktail, the Aviation -- is it taking over the Cosmopolitan for supremacy?

The Aviation -- invented in 1916 by Hugo Ensslin in New York.

The Aviation lost favor because of the difficulty of finding two of its main ingredients -- Maraschino Liqueur and Creme de Violette. The Wine and Cheese Place stocks both now! (currently at Forsyth only) We have stocked Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur for a while and now with the re-introduction of Creme de Violette, the Aviation is becoming the hottest drink around.



Rothman and Winter
Creme de Violette Liqueur...$21.99 / 750ml
From Austria
"The first true Creme de Violette available in over a decade, by request of bar specialists for classic cocktails such as the Aviation and Blue Moon and by sommeliers for champagne cocktails. Produced in Austria from the Queen Charlotte and March Violets found in the Alps. Elegant in its simplicity, this authentic Crème de Violette captures their fragrance, vibrant colors, and taste." -- importer


Hugo Ensslin’s is the creator of the Aviation and he first published the recipe in 1916 in his bartender book:
1/3 Lemon Juice
2/3 El Bart Gin (any good dry gin will do, like Plymouth)
2 dashes Maraschino
2 dashes Creme de Violette
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Over time, the drink lost the Creme de Violette because the liqueur was so hard to find.


Blue Moon
The Blue Moon is another version of the Aviation, just leave out the Marschino Liqueur
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Creme de Violette