Lillet

History

In 1872, Paul and Raymond Lillet founded La Maison Lillet in Podensac. The idea of making aperitifs in Bordeaux came from Father Kermann, a doctor who returned from Brazil and created liqueurs with quinine. At the end of the 19th century, tonic wines with quinine became popular due to Louis Pasteur's discoveries and quinine's use against fevers. In 1887, the brothers created Kina Lillet, originally blanc, the only aperitif from the Bordeaux region.

During the 1920s, exports grew in Europe and Africa, and Lillet was served on transatlantic liners, gaining popularity in New York high society. In 1962, Pierre Lillet created Lillet Rouge for the American market.

In the early 1970s, Maison Lillet removed 'Kina' from the brand name, as it had become a generic term. In 1985, Lillet was reformulated with Bordeaux University's Institute of Oenology, reducing quinine bitterness and sweetness. In 2011, cellarmaster Jean Bernard Blancheton introduced Lillet Rosé.

Varieties

Kina Lillet (1887–1986) was a white-wine liqueur with fruit liqueurs and quinine, its name derived from the kina-kina tree. Lillet Dry, created for the British market in the 1920s, is sometimes considered the Kina Lillet used in James Bond's Vesper Martini.

Lillet Rouge (1962–present) is a red-wine-based liqueur suggested by American importer Michael Dreyfus. Lillet Blanc (1986–present) replaced Kina Lillet with reduced quinine and increased sweetness. Lillet Rosé (2011–present) is a rosé-wine-based liqueur.

Serving Lillet

Lillet is served well chilled at 6–8 °C. In France, it is typically served on ice with a slice of orange or a lemon or lime peel. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Lillet blanc is often served as a Lillet Vive: 5 cl Lillet blanc, 10 cl tonic water, a slice of cucumber, a strawberry, and mint leaves. In the US and UK, it is more commonly used as a cocktail ingredient, appearing in the Vesper, Corpse Reviver #2, 20th Century, and Old Etonian.

The Savoy Cocktail Book published 22 Lillet cocktail recipes in the 1930s. A Lillet spritz mixes white or rosé Lillet with sparkling water and garnishes such as mint, berries, or thyme. A booklet distributed in the US described a Lillet Spritz as 3 parts Lillet Blanc or Rosé with 3 parts tonic water over ice, garnished with cucumber, mint, and strawberry.

Appearances in popular culture

In the 1950s, Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, was a great admirer of Lillet and introduced it to high society. In Ian Fleming's 1953 novel Casino Royale, James Bond invented the Vesper martini using Kina Lillet; the drink appeared in the films Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008). Lillet is the preferred drink of serial killer Hannibal Lecter in Thomas Harris's books. It was featured in Dan Fesperman's 2018 novel Safe Houses and in the 2022 German-language track 'Wildberry Lillet' by Nina Chuba.