THE AVIATION

COCKTAIL

Once referred to as a “forgotten classic,” the Aviation became one of the most popular gin cocktails in bars across America for a time. The earliest written mention of the drink was in Hugo Ensslin’s book published in 1916, titled "Recipes for Mixed Drinks." The recipe called for gin, lemon juice, Maraschino and a then-obscure French liqueur, crème de violette. Some believe the drink may have been lost to cocktail history if it had not been later included in "The Savoy Cocktail Book" by Harry Craddock, which listed an alternative recipe that omitted the hard-to-find violette liqueur.