FIRST JOURNEYS - 80 GINS AROUND THE WORLD - PIN 12 OF 80
AVIATION GIN , Oregon, USA
AROUND THE WORLD, ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME,
PHILEAS FOGG WOULD SURELY APPROVE
Today's stop on the Atlas takes me to House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon, the birthplace of one of the world's most recognisable modern gin brands.
Aviation Gin was created in 2006 by bartender Ryan Magarian and distiller Christian Krogstad, with a vision of producing a gin that was softer and less juniper-forward than a traditional London Dry. Originally described as a New Western Dry Gin, it's now more commonly referred to as an American Dry Gin, reflecting a style that allows other botanicals to shine alongside the juniper.
The name has nothing to do with aeroplanes. Instead, it's taken from the classic Aviation cocktail, a pre-Prohibition drink whose delicate floral notes inspired the creation of the gin itself.
The brand has certainly enjoyed an interesting journey. In 2016, House Spirits sold Aviation Gin to Davos Brands, although production continued in Portland. Two years later, actor Ryan Reynolds acquired an ownership stake, bringing his trademark humour and marketing genius to the brand.
In 2020, Aviation became part of the Diageo portfolio, with Reynolds remaining closely involved as both co-owner and the unmistakable face of the brand.
Of course, it's almost impossible to mention Aviation Gin without mentioning Ryan Reynolds' alter egos.
Long before he became everyone's favourite wise-cracking anti-hero in Deadpool, he donned the green suit as Green Lantern—a film that even Reynolds himself has spent years cheerfully mocking. Thankfully for him, Aviation Gin has proved a far greater success than his first superhero outing, and his self-deprecating adverts have become almost as famous as the gin itself.
So today's question is a simple one...
Are you Team Red or Team Green?
I'll leave the superhero debate to you, but whichever side you're on, I'll happily raise an Aviation cocktail to both. 🍸
“One superhero soared… the other became the butt of the joke.”
Cocktails:
Deadpool - Negroni
Green Lantern - Basil Smash
Atlas note: Whether you’re Team Red or Team Green, there’s no denying Ryan Reynolds had the last laugh. His stake in Aviation Gin helped turn a relatively small craft brand into a business acquired by Diageo in a deal worth up to $610 million — although exactly how much landed in Ryan’s superhero-sized wallet remains a closely guarded secret!
"Show me a bottle
and I'll tell you a story."