Aviation Cocktail (Savoy spec.)

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (128 ratings)
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    Aviation Cocktail (Savoy spec.)

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Serve in a Coupe glass

Ingredients:
1 3⁄4 oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
3⁄4 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1⁄3 oz Chilled water omit if using wet ice
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of Luxardo Maraschino Cherry (& optional sugar rim).
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. Garnish with skewered cherry.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 8/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Tangy gin-laced lemon sourness with aromatic maraschino - too many of these and you really will be flying.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe in Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book.

AVIATION COCKTAIL.
1/3 Lemon juice.
2/3 Dry Gin.
2 Dashes Maraschino.
Shake well and strain into chilled glass.

Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930

Aviation cocktail history and variations

Nutrition:

One serving of Aviation Cocktail (Savoy spec.) contains 171 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 21.2% alc./vol. (21.2° proof)
  • 21.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 of 11 comments for Aviation Cocktail (Savoy spec.).
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John Redfern’s Avatar John Redfern
10th March at 21:22
Very simple a little on the dry side for me personally
1
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Kévin Martin’s Avatar Kévin Martin
26th January 2024 at 20:48
Excellent cocktail. Très simple mais très savoureux. Douceur et acidité se marient très bien.
0
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Egor Doroshenko’s Avatar Egor Doroshenko
10th September 2023 at 09:58
Hello Simon! I noticed that it is so close to SKIPPER by Albert Crockett. Maybe you can add SKIPPER to the Guide? Page 162 of Old Waldorf Bar Days: two thirds gin, one fourth Maraschino, dash of orange juice, dash of lemon juice. Shake!
1
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Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
10th September 2023 at 17:43
Frappe cocktails are shaken and then strained over crushed ice.
0
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Egor Doroshenko’s Avatar Egor Doroshenko
10th September 2023 at 12:12
And what is the meaning of "frappe" in the book? I thoght it was something like "shake", but maybe it means to serve with crushed ice?
1
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John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
18th August 2023 at 00:19
We decided to adjust the Maraschino Liqueur based closer to the original Craddock recipe. Really liked the resulting cocktail as it was very dry. The Maraschino adds a wonderful hint of flavour which was balanced by the lemon. The taste of the gin was in the forefront.
0
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Dávid Ugróczi’s Avatar Dávid Ugróczi
28th December 2022 at 17:16
Do we know how much a dash means (in ml) in Harry Craddock's recipes?
1
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Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
29th December 2022 at 09:22
The challenge is that one person's dash is another's splash. (Please click "measures and measuring" below recipe.)
1
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Chris Dimal’s Avatar Chris Dimal
5th December 2022 at 12:55
Not my favourite at all. It's really dry, and there is an astringent, chemical sweetness to it (probably the Maraschino).
1
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Alasdair MacDonald’s Avatar Alasdair MacDonald
6th August 2021 at 17:54
slightly on the sweet side. half a shot of Maraschino should suffice.
0
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Gillian Williams’ Avatar Gillian Williams
7th December 2020 at 10:16
Fabulous cocktail. Will try with the creme de violette and see which I prefer.
2
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Avatar

Anonymous

28th September 2020 at 03:04
Tried this with Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice for a stronger floral note. It was excellent! Will be making again.
4
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simon kitchen’s Avatar simon kitchen
29th June 2020 at 16:12
This recipe is still great without the creme de violette and a firm favourite in our house; plus I don't have any creme de violette !
1
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