Aviation American Gin

Aviation American Gin is produced at House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon, a craft operation that helped define the Pacific Northwest spirits movement.

Created in 2006 as a collaboration between distiller Christian Krogstad and bartender Ryan Magarian, Aviation represents a deliberate departure from juniper-heavy London Dry styles. The botanical bill centers on seven ingredients: juniper, cardamom, coriander, lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, and dried orange peel.

Rather than leading with juniper, Aviation balances it against the floral and spice notes, creating what the industry now calls an American or New Western style gin.

The lavender and cardamom are particularly prominent, giving the spirit a soft, aromatic character that distinguished it from traditional expressions when it first appeared. Aviation uses a neutral grain spirit base and a single-shot distillation method in a pot still.

The result is a gin that works exceptionally well in cocktails where you want botanical complexity without juniper dominance. It became the benchmark for the contemporary gin movement and remains one of the most influential American gins produced.

Best suited for Aviation cocktails, obviously, but also Bees Knees, French 75s, and other recipes where a softer gin profile complements citrus and floral modifiers.