David T Smith explains how the original Kina Lillet used in Bond’s Vesper was quite different from the modern product.
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In this episode of The 007 Files, I’m joined by David T Smith to untangle one of the most persistent questions surrounding James Bond’s drinks: how different was Kina Lillet from the Lillet Blanc sold today?
David is one of the few people to have tasted a surviving bottle of Kina Lillet. The answer is less straightforward than it first appears, with different versions apparently produced for France, Britain and other markets. The bottle he sampled was sweeter, darker and more bitter than modern Lillet Blanc, with enough body to help explain the golden Vesper Ian Fleming described in Casino Royale.
During the recording, I taste David’s own approximation of Kina Lillet, made from Lillet Blanc and China Martini, before trying it in a Vesper mixed with high-strength Gordon’s gin and vintage Smirnoff vodka. The result is quite different from the pale cocktail usually served under the name today.
We also ask whether Fleming ever considered the Vesper a genuinely good drink, or whether its complicated recipe contained a trace of mischief. From there, we move through the Americano, the Stinger, Bond’s lime-heavy gin and tonic and several other drinks that could find a place in Bond 26.
David also discusses the ÂŁ600 Macallan released for the 55th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever, including the film references built into the whisky, and introduces his forthcoming James Bond drinks podcast, Red Wine with Fish.
Where to find us
David T Smith
Summer Fruit Cup blog
Red Wine With Fish podcast (Instagram)
David Leigh
The James Bond Dossier
Additional links
- The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond
- Macallan Diamonds Are Forever 55th anniversary whisky
- The James Bond Dossier article on Kina Lillet
- Roger Moore’s perfect martini
