Aviation Gin, an icon of the American craft distilling movement and pioneer of American Dry Gin, now celebrates its 11th anniversary and shares 11 little-known facts about this breakthrough spirit. Beloved by top bartenders and gin aficionados alike, Aviation Gin takes its name from the Aviation cocktail, the famed pre-Prohibition libation codified by Hugo Ensslin that served as a touchstone in its creation.
“After 13 years of making beer and wine, I learned distilling by spending a lot of time in distilleries and getting my hands dirty,” says Christian Krogstad, Founder and Master Distiller, House Spirits Distillery, which has produced Aviation Gin since its inception. “My dream was to create a new kind of gin ideally suited for American gin cocktails, like the Aviation. After dozens and dozens of trials, Aviation Gin was born, a less juniper-forward gin that has captured the hearts of the craft bartending world and home bartenders.”
The 11 little-known facts about Aviation Gin include:
1) Proudly Produced in Portland, Oregon – From its beginnings, Aviation Gin has been produced in Portland, Oregon at House Spirits Distillery, which was one of the first craft distilleries in the city. Since then, other distilleries have set up operations in the neighborhood, creating Distillery Row.
2) A First-of-Its-Kind Collaboration Between a Distiller and a Bartender – Aviation Gin was a first-of-its-kind collaboration between House Spirits Distillery’s Krogstad and renowned bartender Ryan Magarian. Christian had experimented with a summer gin prototype with less juniper that intrigued Ryan. He, in turn, respected Ryan’s passion for gin and deep knowledge of gin cocktails. A partnership was born.
3) The Aviation Cocktail as Its Touchstone – When creating Aviation Gin, the Aviation cocktail was its touchstone and ultimately lent its name. The recipe used was found in Hugo Ensslin’s “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” (1917), the last cocktail book published prior to Prohibition, which (unintentionally) preserved the canon of pre-Prohibition drink recipes that laid the foundations for today’s Cocktail Renaissance.
4) The Dawn of a Uniquely American Gin – The dream was to create a distinctly American gin, inspired by those that were popular in the U.S. prior to Prohibition, but became lost to history. With no existing roadmap, it came down to extensive trial and error until perfection and balance were achieved.
5) Crafted and Bottled in Small Batches – Aviation Gin is produced in 100-case batches by Christian and his team, hand-bottled, with labels, caps and cap strips applied by hand as well
6) Going Beyond Juniper to Create a “Democracy of Botanicals” – While juniper is a necessary aspect of gin, it tends to overwhelm the other botanicals in the mix, creating a tyranny of flavor. By dialing down the juniper note, Aviation Gin created a democracy of botanicals, where no single botanical dominates the flavor and all co-exist in harmonious balance.
7) Capturing Nature’s Essence from Around the World – The seven botanicals in Aviation Gin include the finest Guatemalan green cardamom, Canadian coriander, French lavender, Moroccan anise seed, Indian sarsaparilla, juniper from Southern Europe and two kinds of orange peels from Seville, Spain and California. By limiting the number of botanicals, the flavor of each can be discerned and savored.
8) Distinctive Art Deco Packaging – Aviation Gin’s packaging evokes the Art Deco glamor of the Gatsby Era, when jazz, fast planes and a sense of adventure captured the imagination of America. Designed by Portland’s Sandstrom Partners, the packaging marks a dramatic departure from its English gin counterparts.
9) Critically Acclaimed – Aviation Gin won the World Gin Awards 2015 Gold Medal as well as a silver medal in the Gin category at the 2016 American Craft Spirits Awards. It is also the world’s highest-rated gin (Wine Enthusiast 97 Points).
10) A New Take on Old Tom Gin – Aviation Gin has launched a sister spirit, an innovative Old Tom Gin. Unlike most gins of this kind that rely on sugar and coloring, Aviation Old Tom Gin rests in former whiskey barrels for one year, which lend it a natural sweetness and hue.
11) Signature Aviation Gin Cocktails – Aviation Gin is versatile in cocktails, both classic and innovative. It is even sippable neat, the ultimate taste test, and is incomparably elevated, smooth and subtle.
