We can't let Halloween pass without at least one Alfred Hitchcock film. Any guesses based on the cocktail name? Come one, there has to be someone fluent in bad dad jokes?! Aviation.....flight....The Birds! Horrible pun, I know, but the cocktail is rather good and the movie is classic. Imagine the chaos that would ensue when hoards of birds unexpectedly and brutally attack people. It seems unrealistic and yet, based on how 2020 is shaping up, it could happen. Oh wait, it did happen, kind of....If you prefer a more comical approach to this movie then look no further than season 3, episode 4 of That's 70's Show. The entire episode is a comical spoof of a mashup of Alfred Hitchcock films. Now on to the cocktail!
There are two distinct recipes for the Aviation Cocktail. The first, appearing in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Ensslin, contained creme de violette. This is a violet flavored liqueur that offers a light purple/blue tint to your cocktail. It can be rather elusive to fine and there are not a lot of recipes out there calling for this particular liqueur. Personally, when I buy a bottle of something, it needs to pull its own weight with other recipes or it doesn't find room on the shelf.
That's why we're focusing on the second version of this recipe that appeared in Harry Craddock's, The Savoy Cocktail Cookbook. It has the same proportions as Ensslin's minus the creme de violette. This cocktail can be tart without the violette. If there's too much pucker for you, feel free to add a little simple syrup to taste. Either way, both are delicious. Both are dangerous.
Aviation Cocktail
1 1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
(1 tsp creme de violette)
Brandied cherry
Combine all the ingredients, except for the cherry, in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass or coupe. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
Happy drinking!