A New Classic Cocktail: Aviation

For the past few months, my shelf has housed this beautiful bottle of Hendrick’s gin that I have only used for gin and tonics.  While the classics can be delicious, I wanted to bring this piney spirit to another level, highlighting the elements that make it delicious.  So started my journey to find my new favorite gin cocktail, and I think I found it courtesy of Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, and the website Epicurious.  The drink, called the Aviation, is crisp to the note with a perfect blend of citrus and pine, ensuring a refreshing cocktail for this Friday’s patio activities, and has become my new favorite gin cocktail.

With an emphasis on quality ingredients, I knew this was the perfect recipe to use with the Hendricks gin.   I did end up making some changes to the recipe in the place of the garnish, instead using one of my brandied cherries to introduce a deeper sweetness instead of the maraschino cherries, which I find to be overly sugary.  Other than that, the recipe was perfect, especially for the coming Labor Day weekend.   And do yourself a favor – use fresh lemons, not the store bought juice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) Hendricks gin
• 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) Maraska maraschino liqueur
• 1/4 teaspoon simple syrup
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 2 brandied cherries for garnish

Directions:

In cocktail shaker, combine lemon juice, gin, maraschino liqueur, and simple syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe glass and drop in cherries.  Enjoy and thank us later.

A big prop to Eben Freeman for this recipe.  I hope to be drinking at his bar in the near future.