The Best Aviation Cocktail Recipe

How to make an Aviation 

1. Add the gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled  
2. Strain into a cocktail glass 
3. Garnish with a brandied cherry, and serve 

What is crème de violette?

Crème de violette is a low-proof, dark-blue liqueur made using violet blossoms. This is if you get the real thing, which can be a little pricey. There are also brands that use artificial violet flavoring, and these are more affordable.  

As you can imagine, a flower-based liqueur smells flowery and sweet, but it also has a well-defined earthy note that you won’t necessarily expect at first whiff. It’s light on the tongue and primarily used as a sweetener in cocktails. When paired with gin, as it is in the Aviation cocktail, it provides a lovely counterbalance for the spirit’s herbal notes. 

How to achieve a signature bright purple Aviation cocktail

The easiest way to make the pretty blue Aviation cocktail is to use crème de violette as directed in this recipe. However, you could also take a longer way around if you’re feeling a little extra.  

There are gins on the market that are infused with butterfly pea blossom, which turns it naturally blue. When you add lemon juice to this type of spirit, it affects the pH balance and turns it purple. In fact, you could also go hunting for butterfly pea tea blossoms, which are dried and used for tea, to tinge your go-to gin a striking shade of purple yourself.  

How strong is an Aviation cocktail?

A classic Aviation contains two ounces of gin, half an ounce of maraschino liqueur, and a quarter ounce of crème de violette. This means it’s on the stronger end of the cocktail spectrum, at around 27% ABV.  

By comparison, an Espresso Martini comes in at around 17.2% ABV, a Strawberry Daiquiri at 12.3% and a Pina Colada at 9.8%. A classic Martini is a bit stronger than the Aviation, at 28.4% ABV.