Aviation

History

The Aviation is a pre–Prohibition classic created in the early 20th century, celebrated for its pale blue-violet tint and delicate blend of gin, lemon, maraschino, and violet liqueur. It first appeared in 1916 in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at New York’s Hotel Wallick. Ensslin’s original recipe included Crème de Violette, which gave the drink both its signature colour and a soft floral aroma. However, when the cocktail resurfaced after Prohibition, Crème de Violette had largely disappeared from the U.S. market. As a result, the Aviation was revived in a violet-free form, most notably in Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, which listed only gin, lemon, and maraschino. This version was brighter, tarter, and colourless, and for decades it became the standard. The Aviation returned to prominence during the craft cocktail revival of the 2000s, when small producers reintroduced Crème de Violette to the market. Bars rediscovered the drink’s original pale-purple hue, and it quickly became a favourite among cocktail enthusiasts for its balance of floral, citrus, and almond-cherry notes. Today, the Aviation exists in two accepted forms, with or without violet (as in the recipe by the IBA), each offering its own historical authenticity and flavour profile.