Aviation American Gin
Portland, Oregon
Seven botanicals with the juniper deliberately dialled back. No added sugar, but the lavender and anise are the kind of aromatics that bother a minority of drinkers.
- Ingredients / botanicals
- juniper, cardamom, coriander, lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, orange peel
- Congeners
- Low
- Histamines
- Very Low
- Polyphenols
- Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Very Low
- Calories
- 103
- Sugar
- 0g
14.7g ethanol at 42% ABV. No sugar, so every calorie here is alcohol.
In its favor
- ✓No added sugar
- ✓Full botanical bill published
What to watch
- !Lavender and anise are common aromatic triggers
- !42% ABV
Factor by factor
Congeners Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Very Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Aviation is the reference point for the American style: juniper present but restrained, with lavender, anise and sarsaparilla taking up the space a London Dry would give to pine. It is a dry gin with nothing added after distillation, so on paper it sits in the same zero-sugar tier as everything else here.
The caveat is aromatic rather than nutritional. Lavender and anise are two of the botanicals most often named by drinkers who get headaches from specific gins rather than from gin in general. If that pattern sounds familiar, a plainer juniper-led bill is the safer choice, not because Aviation is heavier but because it is more aromatic.
Aviation American Gin questions
How many calories are in a shot of Aviation American Gin? ▾
About 103 calories in a 1.5oz shot at 42% ABV. All of them come from the alcohol, since there is no sugar.
Does Aviation American Gin have sugar? ▾
No. Aviation American Gin has 0g of sugar per 1.5oz serving.
Is Aviation American Gin gluten-free? ▾
Not by label. Aviation American Gin is distilled from a gluten-containing grain, so US rules bar it from claiming gluten-free. Distillation does remove the gluten protein, and the Celiac Disease Foundation considers distilled spirits safe for most coeliacs. If you would rather avoid the question, pick a spirit distilled from corn, potato, grape or agave.
What proof is Aviation American Gin? ▾
Aviation American Gin is 84 proof, which is 42% alcohol by volume.
Does Aviation American Gin give you a bad hangover? ▾
Aviation American Gin scores 3/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 3/10 for gin overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Aviation American Gin vegan? ▾
Yes. Aviation American Gin is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.