We're finally at our fifth and final installment of Historic Sauce (Part 1?), a tour of classic, mandatory drinks for any cocktail enthusiast. If you're just now joining, the Sidecar, Daiquiri, Sazerac and Americano were the first four we touched on — tried-and-true staples that aren't found on many cocktail menus.
This week, we're breaking out what is consistently my favorite year-round spirit: gin. The booze has the ability to work well with so many different ingredients, which allows it to adapt to any season. Seriously. When done right in lighter drinks, gin is phenomenal during the warmer months.
The Aviation is that quintessential spring-to-summer drink. The cocktail's first print appearance was in its creator Hugo R. Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks in 1916. It later appeared in the still-popular Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock in 1933, but Craddock's version omitted the recipe's crème de violette. In fact, that's the way the Aviation was served for decades, as its core ingredient was absent in the U.S. till 2007.
Debate still surrounds whether or not the drink should include the violet liqueur. But, of course, we're here to talk historic cocktails, so we're definitely using the lovely flavor enhancer. You can pick up a bottle for roughly $15 at one of the better package stores.
Served straight up, the Aviation is a delicate, delicious creation, which means you should use a good gin. I went with Bombay Sapphire, but my backup would be Hendrick's. This cocktail's beauty makes it especially a hit when entertaining guests.
Makes 1
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
1/2 ounce crème de violette
3/4 ounce lemon juice
Maraschino cherry, for garnish
In a coupe or martini glass, add ice and set aside to chill. Fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 with ice and add all ingredients. Shake until well-chilled. Discard ice from glass and drop maraschino cherry inside to garnish. Strain in cocktail.
Follow CL contributor Chris Fasick (@cfasick) on Twitter, or email him at cdfasick@gmail.com if there's a cocktail or recipe you'd like featured.
This article appears in Aug 3-10, 2017.
