The orig­i­nal Lil­let Blanc recipe dates back to 1872 and was called Kina Lil­let made by Paul and Ray­mond Lil­let.  In 1986 it was refor­mu­lated. The recipe cut back on the quinine/bitterness and added more fresh fruit notes. Kina in the orig­i­nal name comes from the Peru­vian tree called “kina kina”. They use the bark of this tree to make qui­nine, also called Chinchona.

Tast­ing notes: Sniff and you’ll notice the select blend of Bor­deaux grapes aged in oak casks, fol­lowed by a strong orange aroma with a touch of flo­ral. Lil­let Blanc goes down sweet with honey and can­died orange fol­lowed by a nice cleans­ing flo­ral and mint fla­vor. The fin­ish is bit­ter with pine resin and lingers with honey and fresh citrus.

This is a French aper­i­tif wine, but could be sub­sti­tuted for dry ver­mouth in your cock­tail of choice. Treat it like a white wine and keep it cold and vac­uum pumped. I would use this up in a month, after that the fla­vors will go flat. Most bars don’t take proper care of their ver­mouths and that’s why a lot mar­ti­nis are made with­out ver­mouth and get a bad wrap. It’s great for con­tem­po­rary cock­tail cre­ations and I find myself using it in a lot of my recipes, it’s that good.

$15 a bottle

Here’s a Post Pro­hi­bi­tion orig­i­nal and a clas­sic cock­tail recipe using Lil­let Blanc:

Cul­ture Club

• 2 oz Dimmi Liquore Di Milano
• 1 oz Pisco Gran Sierpe
• 1/2 oz Lil­let Blanc
• Cou­ple dashes orange bitters

Stir cock­tail with ice and strain into a chilled cock­tail glass.

Gar­nish with a lemon twist.

Corpse Reviver #2

• 1 oz gin
• 3/4 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lil­let Blanc
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 3 drops of absinthe
• 1 stem­less cherry

Shake all ingre­di­ents except the cherry and then strain into a chilled cock­tail glass.

Gar­nish with a stem­less cherry.

Here are some more recipes with Lil­let Blanc.