Drink of the Week: Aviation American Gin

When Aviation American Gin first hit shelves in 2006, it was something of a novel spirit. Unlike the juniper-forward London dry gins that had long dominated the market, Aviation brought other botanicals to the forefront, with its prominent citrus, spice, and floral notes. Marketed as American-style gin, the new spirit sparked a sea change among domestic craft distillers, who began to experiment more and more with distillations representing their home terroir.

Originally created at Portland, Oregon’s House Spirits by distiller Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian, the Aviation brand was sold to Davos Brands in 2016. It was then famously acquired by actor Ryan Reynolds in 2018, who maintains an ownership stake in the company (which was acquired by Diageo in 2020) and serves as the star of Aviation’s marketing, employing his trademark snark and sharing his affinity for the Negroni.

For the second year in a row, Aviation joins Negroni Week as a sponsor and the official American gin of Negroni Week. Aviation’s complementary botanicals of sweet and bitter orange peel, along with coriander and lavender, make for a bright and balanced version of the cocktail. Mix one up at home, or head out to catch the last few days of Negroni Week! $27.99, reservebar.com