Cocktail “Aviation” – depending on the composition, the drink is blue, purple, silver-gray or off-white in color with a sweet and sour taste, notes of citrus, almonds and slight bitterness. Fortress – 32-36%. The cocktail is included in the list of IBA (International Bartenders Association) and is in the “Unforgettable” section. In the early 2000s, in the wake of interest in old recipes, it experienced a rebirth, appearing in cocktail cards of reputable bars.
Historical information
The Aviation cocktail recipe was first published in 1916 in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslinom, a bartender at the Wallick Hotel in Times Square, New York. It is believed that Ensslin invented “Aviation” in 1911 and for several years the cocktail was the signature drink of the institution. The cocktail is named for the characteristic blue color, which at that time was associated with the bold conquerors of the skies – aviators.
In 1930, the legendary bartender Harry Craddock removed violet liqueur from the recipe in his book The Savoy Сocktail Book. As a result, another version of “Aviation” appeared. Why Craddock abolished the recipe is still unclear. According to the most plausible version, at the end of the 20s of the XNUMXth century, violet syrups and liqueurs were discontinued. Due to the change in color of the drink, the original idea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbheaven has lost its meaning.
Sky blue is considered the classic color of the Aviation cocktail, since at the beginning of the XNUMXth century violet syrup was made only in blue. In our time, a similar syrup is predominantly purple, so the cocktail is gray, cloudy or purple.
With the popularization of “The Savoy cocktail book”, the original composition of “Aviation” was forgotten. In 2004, David Vondrich published his collection of old recipes, which included “Aviation”. Thus began a revival of interest in the cocktail. Interestingly, in 2011, the version without violet liqueur was included in the IBA list.
Composition and proportions:
- gin – 50 ml;
- lemon juice – 15 ml;
- Maraschino liqueur – 10 ml;
- violet liqueur (Crème de Violette) or syrup – 5 ml (optional);
- ice cubes – 300 grams.
The proportions of the ingredients can be changed to create your own balance of acidity and bitterness.
Maraschino liqueur is a colorless maraschino cherry liqueur with a characteristic bitter aftertaste and hints of almonds. The production of violet liqueur resumed in 2007 thanks to the return to fashion cocktail Aviation. It is still difficult to get Crème de Violette in Russia, but it is possible that at least 2 brands of liquor are represented on the market: Monin (Monin) and Giffard (Giffard).
The color of the cocktail is affected by the amount of violet liqueur: without Crème de Violette – white, with a small amount (3-5 ml) – gray, but if there is more than 10 ml of liquor, then “Aviation” will turn purple. For a historically correct blue color, you need to use blue violet essence (sold in stores). Another option is to take Blue Curacao, but at the time the cocktail was invented, this liqueur had not yet been invented, and such a replacement cannot be considered historically correct.
Cocktail recipe Aviation
1. Fill shaker with ice, add gin, lemon juice, violet liqueur and Maraschino.
2. Shake. Pour the drink into a cold serving glass (usually a Sour or Martini cocktail glass) through a strainer (bar sieve).
3. Garnish with a cocktail cherry or lemon zest. Serve without a straw.
