Aviation 2.0

Aviation 2.0 

1 ¾ oz. Tanqueray No. 10 gin
½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
½ oz. Yuzu liqueur
¼ oz. Giffard Crème de Violette (floated)
Garnish: slice of lemon peel

Combine the gin, maraschino, and yuzu in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake for 10 seconds*. Double strain into a chilled coupe. With a bar spoon, float the crème de violette and wait a couple of seconds for it to suspend down the bottom of the glass. Add a slice of lemon peel to finish.

*I kept the shaking time low to ensure minimal dilution and maximum flavour intensity. 10 seconds still allow enough cloudiness to come through. 

Aviation, while considered a classic cocktail, has only in recent years experienced a resurgence. The forgotten classic was first created by Hugo R. Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallin in New York in 1916. The drink appeared in Ensslin’s book that same year, Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Its status was maintained with its inclusion in the biblical Savoy Cocktail Book published in 1930. The difference, however, was that the original recipe called for crème de violette, a maceration of violets, steeped in brandy and sugar. It is the core ingredient in the Aviation and provides the signature hue. Only a small amount is required; otherwise risking the drink becoming exceedingly floral to the point of resembling liquid potpourri. The recipe in the Savoy Cocktail Book, however, omitted this liqueur entirely (reasons unknown) – leaving essentially a basic gin sour. Scarcity of crème de violette, especially in North America, led to Aviation’s eventual obscurity for many decades.

In the 1990s, Haus Alpenz, a company that imports fine and rare liqueurs, aperitifs, and wines, began importing the original Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette and a resurrection of the Aviation began. Rothman & Winter were also no longer the only producers, as others like The Bitter Truth and Giffard also began offering their version of a quality violet liqueur.

The story behind the name of the drink is easy to guess – it represents the sky (at dusk) when you’re flying high in the clouds. Hence, it’s critical to include crème de violette, no disrespect to the Savoy. 

That said, like any cocktail enthusiast, I like tinkering with classic recipes, even though occasionally I’ll go by the book. Let’s start with the gin. Aviation Gin owner, Ryan Reynolds, claimed that his gin was made especially for this cocktail, which I suppose makes sense (beyond its name) given its lavender and cardamom notes. It’s unusually floral but for me personally, I find the juniper notes a tad strong and thus throws the drink out of balance. Instead, I prefer Tanqueray No. Ten, as it’s more lemon-forward and is a great compliment to the Yuzu liqueur.

Yes, you read that right. I replaced the lemon juice (jaw drop!) with Yuzu liqueur that has a highly aromatic, slightly bitter citrus profile. It’s a more refined replacement to the basic (and sharp) lemon – and perhaps not for everyone – but like all who imbibe, it’s worth trying at least once. 

I use Giffard Crème de Violette – but I float the liqueur by adding it only at the end with a bar spoon. It provides the precise ‘dusk’ effect layered against the drink’s cloudiness. I much prefer this presentation over those that resemble a glass of fake grape juice (shivers). 

Lastly, my preference for garnish is a simple lemon peel. I don’t like my drinks overly sweet (hence skipping the brandied cherry), but I do like them citrusy. And although I’m not using lemon juice, I would like the nose to reveal that this is, indeed, a sour.