Name: Clean Aviation
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 52.5 ml Vodka; 15 ml Maraschino liqueur; 7.5 ml Crème de violette; 15 ml Lemon juice; 1 dash Absinthe; 7.5 ml Chilled water

Clean Aviation
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Photographed in an UB Retro Coupe 1910

Ingredients:
1 ³⁄₄ oz	Ketel One Vodka
¹⁄₂ oz	Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
¹⁄₄ oz	Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette Liqueur
¹⁄₂ oz	Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 dash	La Fée Parisienne absinthe
¹⁄₄ oz	Chilled water

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Coupe glass.
Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist.
SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

Named in homage to the laudable quest for a clean aviation fuel, this is a classic Aviation (usually based on gin) but made with vodka and given a touch of extra complexity with the merest hint of absinthe.

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History:

Created in November 2020 by yours truly as a result of a comment left by Julie Kovar on our Aviation page.

More cocktails by Simon Difford

Nutrition:

One serving of Clean Aviation contains 174 calories

Alcohol content:

1.4 standard drinks
20.68% alc./vol. (20.68° proof)
20.2 grams of pure alcohol

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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 9 comments for Clean Aviation.
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Ruth Harvey

10th April at 20:30

I prefer this to the classic Aviation. It's less perfumed and more balanced.

Tuber Magnatum

21st February at 23:30

Made this again and was less keen on it tonight. I agree with Charl Engela's comment below that it is lacking without the gin and therefore for me was a little too crème de violette forward. Also, maybe as it is end of week, I was looking for something a little stronger tasting, so as per John Carr's comment, maybe a tad too much water even with "dry" ice.

John Hinojos

19th February at 01:37

Made this cocktail again. Still love it. Since we are both big absinthe fans, we added a spritz of absinthe on the top of the cocktail before serving. Added a lovely light herbal smell and flavour.

John CARR

21st September 2024 at 15:08

A very nice aviation. Clean really describes it. And a very pleasant minerality from the vodka. I always serve aviations in a martini glass, as I feel is suited to the 1920s streamlined and modernist aesthetic of the drink.

John CARR

21st September 2024 at 15:11

I may have over shaken and increased dilution, but I feel 5ml added water would be sufficient here.

Jasmine Lee

17th September 2024 at 03:25

Instead of adding the absinthe to the shaker, I did an absinthe rinse, inspired by my love of the Sunflower cocktail. Turned out well!

Rob Gray

29th October 2023 at 23:42

Lovely variation on the classic Aviation.

Given that we are in the season of Halloween, I would propose the following variation:

Hounds Black Vodka in place of the traditional clear, and a dusting of purple edible glitter, for effect. Variation name: Fly By Night.

Thank you for maintaining this site; I cannot count the number of people I have referred here for the best in cocktails.

Simon Difford

30th October 2023 at 06:56

Many thanks for your kind words and for your suggestion.

Charl Engela

18th August 2023 at 17:25

Very nice indeed, but I think I prefer this with a citrusy gin rather than vodka. I also think I put in more than a dash of absinthe which is quite easy to do with the La Fée bottle with the integrated spout. Less next time.