What did Kina Lillet really taste like, and how close can you get to the Vesper Ian Fleming described in Casino Royale?
David Leigh is joined by drinks expert David T Smith, one of the few people to have tasted a surviving bottle of Kina Lillet. DTS explains how the old aperitif was not simply modern Lillet Blanc with more quinine. Different versions appear to have been produced for different markets, including a less sweet style for British drinkers who mixed it with gin.
That makes Bond’s order in Casino Royale harder to pin down than it first appears. Which Kina Lillet would he actually have been served? And how different would the resulting Vesper have tasted from the pale, dry version usually made today?
To find out, we taste DTS’s own approximation of Kina Lillet, made from equal parts Lillet Blanc and Kina Martini. Compared with modern Lillet, it is sweeter, heavier and slightly medicinal. Smith then uses it in a Vesper made with 47.3% Gordon’s gin and vintage 50% Smirnoff vodka. The drink is darker and fuller, with the golden colour Fleming described.
The Vesper itself comes under scrutiny too. Fleming later called it unpalatable, Bond never orders another one in the novels, and its highly specific recipe may have contained an element of mischief. The pair ask whether it is genuinely a great cocktail or whether its real importance comes from its place in Bond history.
They also move on to other drinks from Fleming and the films, including the Americano, the Stinger, Bond’s gin and tonic made with the juice of an entire lime, the vodka Alexander and the mysterious Foo Yuck. Smith explains which of them he would like to see used in Bond 26 and why the drink chosen for a scene should fit the place, character and situation rather than simply serve as product placement.
There is also the £600 Macallan released for the 55th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever. DTS attended the London tasting and explains how the whisky drew on details from the film, including references to sherry and claret.
The episode ends with news of the forthcoming podcast Red Wine with Fish, co-hosted by David T Smith, which will take a deeper look at James Bond’s drinks across both the books and films.
Where to find us
David T Smith
https://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/
https://www.instagram.com/redwinewithfishpodcast/
David Leigh
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com
Additional links
The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond
https://www.jamesbonddrinks.com
The James Bond Dossier article on Kina Lillet:
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/lifestyle/drink/kina-lillet.htm
Macallan Diamonds Are Forever 55th anniversary whisky:
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/features/the-macallan-unveils-diamonds-are-forever-55th-anniversary-release-in-london.htm
Roger Moore's perfect martini:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/17/how-make-dry-martini-roger-moore-way-james-bond
Recorded on 14th July 2026 in the UK and Spain.
