Kina Lillet and the Vesper MartiniOne of the surprise stars of Casino Royale, the last James Bond film, was one of the ingredients of his drink. The drink which he names the Vesper is a martini variant that contains both gin and vodka as well as Kina Lillet. This drink was described in the original novel by Ian Fleming and is served with a slice of lemon peel. Unfortunately the filmmakers used some artistic licence with the name of the products because it hasn't been known as Kina Lillet for years, gradually metamorphosing over the years first to plain Lillet and now Lillet Blanc. Demand for Lillet Blanc skyrocketed last year after the release of the film as Bond fans all over the world flocked to try their hero's new drink. The recipe for the Vesper is as follows: 3 measures of Gordons gin 1 measure of vodka 1/2 a measure of Kina Lillet Shake until ice cold and serve with a large thin slice of lemon peel

Unfortunately Lillet Blanc underwent a reformulation in the 1980s and it no longer has the bitterness of the original drink. It dates from late 19th century France, where tonics based on wine with quinine were popular. This style of drink is known in France as a quinquina due to the presence of the bitter quinine, which is extracted from the bark of the South American "kina kina" or cinchona tree. It is a muscle relaxant and has been used to treat malaria for centuries it is also present in tonic water, which was taken in India for that purpose. However, there is something you can do to get back to the original taste; add a pinch of quinine powder or a splash of bitters. This does improve the flavour of the drink which seems to miss something without. Lillet Blanc can be difficult to source, however it is available online from the following website: Buy Lillet Blanc in the United Kingdom from The Drink Shop Buy Lillet Blanc in the United States from Morrell Wine