The aviation was created by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, in the early twentieth century.[1] The first published recipe appeared in Ensslin's 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Ensslin's recipe called for two thirds El Bart gin, one third lemon juice, 2 dashes maraschino liqueur, and 2 dashes crème de violette.[2]
Harry Craddock's influential Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) omitted the crème de violette, calling for a mixture of two thirds dry gin, one third lemon juice and two dashes of maraschino.[3] Many later bartenders have followed Craddock's lead, leaving out the difficult-to-find violet liqueur.[4]
Creme Yvette, a violet liqueur made with additional spices, is sometimes substituted for crème de violette.[5]
Related cocktails
The aviation can be considered a variation on the Gin sour, using maraschino as its sweetener.[3]
The Blue Moon cocktail is made with gin, lemon juice, and crème de violette or Creme Yvette, without maraschino.[6]