Free delivery from 90€ (BE - NL)

The History of the "Aviation" Cocktail

The "Aviation" cocktail is a classic cocktail that was created in the early 20th century by a bartender named Hugo Ensslin. Ensslin worked at the Wallick Hotel in New York City and created the cocktail in 1916 for the hotel's cocktail book "Recipes for Mixed Drinks."

The name "Aviation" refers to aviation, which was a booming field at the time and fascinated people with the advances in aeronautics. The cocktail is also called "Blue Moon" because of its blue hue, which is achieved by adding crème de violette.

Hugo Ensslin's original recipe included gin, lemon juice, maraschino (cherry liqueur), and crème de violette. However, crème de violette was no longer produced by the 1960s, and the recipe was changed to include triple sec instead. This led to a version of the cocktail without the characteristic blue hue.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in classic cocktails, and crème de violette is now being produced again. Bartenders have been able to return to the original recipe for the "Aviation" cocktail with its beautiful blue color and unique taste.

Our recipe

Recipe

Put the ingredients in the shaker with ice cubes, shake and serve without ice cubes

- 4cl of Panda Gin

- 3cl of Violet Liqueur

- 3cl of white Lillet

- 2 drops of angostura orange

- 2cl of lime juice

Decoration

Cherry pick

Latest stories

View all

Edition Limitée 2025

Limited Edition 2025

To conclude our iconic Colors Series, we offer you an edition as rare as it is daring. The 2025 limited edition is an ode to botanical complexity, a floral and zesty score where lychee, our signature ingredient since day one, remains the common thread of a distilled masterpiece.

Read more

Panda Gin à la maison : vos garnitures à cultiver

Panda Gin at home: your garnishes to grow

If you're a Panda Gin fan, why not take the experience even further by growing your own aromatic herbs that will enhance your cocktails?

Read more

Pourquoi Panda s’appelle Panda ?

Why is Panda called Panda?

Because the lychee and the panda share Asian roots, their sweetness, and their uniqueness. A universal name, a simple design, a strong identity.

Read more