Lillet Blanc
Lillet Blanc was created in 1872 by brothers Paul and Raymond Lillet in Podensac, a village in the Graves appellation of Bordeaux, as a wine-based aperitif fortified with fruit liqueurs and quinine-containing cinchona bark from Peru. Originally marketed as 'Kina Lillet,' its quinine content made it popular as both a fashionable aperitif and a prophylactic against malaria in tropical climates, contributing to its success in French colonial markets. In 1986 Lillet reformulated the product to reduce bitterness, making it sweeter and less quinine-forward — a change that rendered pre-1986 'Kina Lillet' effectively irreproducible and famously altered the character of the original Vesper Martini as specified by Ian Fleming.
Flavor Profile
Lillet Blanc presents a gentle, honeyed sweetness over a foundation of white Bordeaux wine — Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc — with notes of candied orange peel, apricot, and fresh citrus blossom. A subtle bitter undercurrent from quinine adds complexity without dominating, and the finish is clean and slightly floral with a pleasant dryness. The contemporary formula is notably softer and more fruit-forward than pre-1986 Kina Lillet.