Aviation

First, prep your components: squeeze 90ml (6 tbsp) of juice from room-temperature ripe lemons, straining out all seeds and bitter white pulp through a fine-mesh sieve. Place 4 standard 150ml (5oz) coupe glasses in the freezer to chill for 3 full minutes before use.

Assemble the cocktail base: set a large 750ml cocktail shaker on the counter, and add 240ml (1 cup) London dry gin, 60ml (1/4 cup) Luxardo maraschino liqueur, 30ml (2 tbsp) crème de violette, and the pre-strained 90ml lemon juice directly into the shaker base. Do not add ice at this stage to prevent premature over-dilution.

Fill the cocktail shaker ¾ of the way full with large, fresh ice cubes (roughly 3 cups of ice), then press the shaker lid on tightly to create a watertight seal. Hold the shaker with both hands and shake vigorously in an up-and-down motion for 15 full seconds, until the outside of the shaker feels frosty and uncomfortably cold to touch.

Retrieve the pre-chilled coupe glasses from the freezer. Fit a Hawthorne strainer over the mouth of the cocktail shaker, and pour equal portions of the shaken cocktail into each glass, measuring roughly 105ml (3.5oz) per serving to leave a 1cm gap at the rim of each glass for garnish.

Prep the lemon twist garnishes: take 4 strips of lemon peel (each 5cm long, trimmed to remove all bitter white pith), hold each peel 10cm above a filled glass, and squeeze gently to release fragrant citrus oils onto the drink surface. Rub the peel lightly along the glass rim before resting it on the edge of the coupe.

Finish each drink by skewering one brandied maraschino cherry on a 10cm bamboo cocktail pick and resting it across the rim of each glass. Serve immediately, while the drink is at 2-4°C (35-40°F), to preserve the bright, balanced flavor and crisp chill.