cocktaildna

Blue Moon

A violet-hued gin cocktail that tastes like a floral, citrusy lemon dessert.

floralvioletlemonsweetginsourperfumedbrunch

%

ABV

Difficulty

Blue Moon

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is sweet and floral, tasting strongly of violet and fresh lemon. The middle rounds out as the gin's botanicals push through the sweetness. It finishes with a soft, perfumed citrus note that fades cleanly.

Who will like it

This is for drinkers who like sweet, floral cocktails like the Aviation or Parma Violet, and who don't mind a drink that leans toward the dessert side.

When to drink

Serve this as a brunch cocktail or a light afternoon sipper when you want something pretty and easygoing.

Ordering tip

If your bar doesn't have crème de violette, ask for an Aviation instead—it's the same idea but swaps the violet for maraschino cherry liqueur.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $3–$5Glass: CoupeBatch-friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This drink is sweet and floral upfront, with a strong violet flavor that tastes like perfume or candy. The lemon juice brings a tart balance that keeps it from feeling like syrup, and the gin adds a quiet botanical backbone underneath. It is not a complex or bitter drink, but it has a distinct, old-fashioned charm. The texture is light but slightly viscous from the liqueur. It goes down easy and tastes more like a treat than a serious spirit-forward sipper.

Finish: The finish is short and clean, leaving a lingering floral sweetness and a touch of lemon zest.

Primary tastes

floralsweetsour

Secondary

herbalfruity

Aroma

violetlemon zestjuniper
  • Bitternesslow bitterness

    There is almost no bitterness here, just a faint herbal edge from the gin and violette.

  • Sweetnessfairly sweet

    The crème de violette pushes this firmly into sweet territory, like a floral candy.

  • Sournessbalanced acidity

    The lemon juice hits a middle ground, cutting the sweetness without making the drink sharp.

  • Strengthmoderate strength

    The alcohol is present but the sugar and citrus mask it, making it feel lighter than it is.

  • Refreshingmoderately refreshing

    The citrus and cold temperature make it refreshing, though the sweetness weighs it down a bit.

  • Creaminesslight body

    The sugar gives it a slightly syrupy weight on the tongue, but it is not creamy.

  • Complexitymoderate complexity

    It is a simple three-ingredient build where the floral note does most of the heavy lifting.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Coupe · equal parts on Gin. London Dry recommended so the botanicals cut through the sweetness

Before you start

Put your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have the time. Squeeze your lemon juice right before making the drink so it tastes bright.

Ingredients

  • GinBase Spirit45ml
  • Crème de VioletteLiqueur22.5ml
  • Lemon JuiceJuiceFreshly squeezed22.5ml
  • Lemon TwistGarnish1 twist

Garnish: Lemon twist

Tools

  • Cocktail Shaker · Shaking

    To shake and chill the citrus and liqueur together with the gin

    At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid

  • Jigger · Measuring

    To measure the gin, violette, and lemon juice accurately

    At home: A measuring shot glass or tablespoon set

  • Hawthorne Strainer · Straining

    To hold back the ice while pouring the drink into the glass

    At home: A fine mesh tea strainer

  • Coupe Glass · Serving

    To serve the drink chilled without ice, showing off the color

    At home: A small wine glass

  • Citrus Peeler · optional · Garnish

    To cut a thin strip of lemon peel for the garnish

    At home: A vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife

Ingredients and tools to make Blue Moon
Ingredients and tools

Steps

  1. 1

    Measure 45ml gin, 22.5ml crème de violette, and 22.5ml fresh lemon juice into your shaker. The crème de violette is thick and dark, so pour it slowly to hit the right line in your jigger.

    Step 1 — how to make Blue Moon

    !Pouring the thick crème de violette too fast and overshooting the measure.

  2. 2

    Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice cubes. Close it up tight and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You'll know it's done when the outside of the metal shaker feels very cold and frost is forming on it.

    ~12s

    Step 2 — how to make Blue Moon

    !Shaking too gently leaves the drink warm and not well mixed.

  3. 3

    Pop the top off the shaker and fit your Hawthorne strainer over the opening. Pour the drink through the strainer into your chilled coupe glass. Let it sit for a second so the last drops of liquid fall in.

    Step 3 — how to make Blue Moon

    !Tilting the shaker too fast and letting small ice chips slip past the strainer coil.

  4. 4

    Hold a lemon peel over the drink and give it a good twist so a mist of lemon oils sprays across the surface. Drop the peel into the glass and serve it right away while it's still cold.

    Step 4 — how to make Blue Moon

    !Squeezing the peel into the drink instead of twisting it, which makes the oil drip instead of spray.

Serve

Serve it straight up in the chilled coupe with no ice. The lavender-blue color looks best against the clean glass, so don't let it sit too long before drinking.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Crème de Violette

  • Crème de VioletteCrème Yvette
    Match
    Specialty availability

    Crème de Violette → Crème Yvette: Adds a subtle berry and vanilla note alongside the violet, making the drink slightly richer.

Related

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Aviation

Similar cocktail

Aviation

The Aviation uses maraschino liqueur, which adds a nutty, bitter cherry note the Blue Moon lacks.

Match

The Aviation is drier and more complex thanks to the maraschino, while the Blue Moon leans fully into sweet floral citrus without the bitter cherry edge.

In common: shaken sour, floral, violet hue, gin-based

Ingredients

Both share

Gin, Crème de Violette, Lemon Juice

Only in Aviation

Maraschino Liqueur

The Blue Moon is essentially an Aviation without the maraschino liqueur, making it a simpler three-ingredient build.

Flavor

Shared flavors

floral violet aroma, citrus tartness, gin botanical backbone

How Aviation differs

sweeter, less complex, missing the dry cherry bite

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The exact origin of the Blue Moon is disputed, but it first appeared in print in the 1930s during the violet-liqueur cocktail craze. It is widely considered a sweeter, simpler offshoot of the Aviation, relying on the same crème de violette but swapping out maraschino for a straightforward lemon sour.

Era
1930s
Confidence

The recipe proportions vary slightly across sources, with some using equal parts violette and lemon, but a 2:1:1 ratio of gin:violette:lemon is the most common modern spec.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

  • Crème de violette is the only hard-to-find bottle here, so track that down first.
  • Shake this well to get it properly diluted, or the sweetness will feel cloying.
  • Use a light hand with the violette if you want the gin to show through more.

Avoid

Common mistakes

  • Using bottled lemon juice will make the drink taste flat and metallic.
  • Skipping the lemon oil twist robs the drink of its fresh citrus aroma.