lillet_cocktails

7 Manly Cocktails to Make with Lillet

Here, seven great Lillet cocktails for aperitif lovers.

After a night on the line, most chefs have a go-to drink, from cheap beer to a house bartender’s expert cocktail. Here, star chefs reveal their favorite drinks.

Typically, Daniel Holzman, The Meatball Shop chef and co-owner, is a bourbon and Budweiser man. But lately he’s been drinking a lot of Lillet, a fruity, floral French aperitif wine. “It’s not the most masculine cocktail in the world,” he says. “Maybe there’s some sort of shandy I could make from Lillet and Budweiser.” Great idea. Here, a few more Lillet cocktails for aperitif lovers like Holzman.

James Bond’s original cocktail of choice is made with gin, vodka and Lillet.

This golden-hued cocktail is made with dark brown sugar, aged rhum agricole, Lillet and limoncello for a bright finish.

The American South meets the south of France in this slight and refreshing cocktail.

Basil, gin and Lillet make for an ultra-summery drink.

This complex cocktail gets a terrific nuttiness from fino sherry.

Kick a Champagne cocktail up a notch with Lillet and homemade grenadine.

This dirty martini is made “blonde” with the addition of Lillet.

3 Summer Drinks to Make with Lillet Blanc

It's French, it's classy, James Bond loved it--say hey to Lillet, one of our favorite bottles for the summer. An aperitif wine, Lillet is made from Bourdeaux grapes along with macerated fruit liqueurs, which gives it a pleasantly fruity, but not overly sweet, character.

While Lillet Blanc (the white version) is delicious on ice, with a twist of orange or lemon and a splash of soda, it's also a brilliant cocktail ingredient. Low-proof and nicely balanced, not too sweet and not too bitter, it blends seamlessly with many spirits without overwhelming them, much like vermouth.

Pick up a bottle at your local liquor store or wine shop, and follow along with these three simple cocktails--none of which require much more than staple spirits and a little fruit.

He famously drank his martinis shaken, not stirred--which is actually a terrible idea--but James Bond also invented the Vesper, a cocktail we can get behind. "Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet," he instructed a bartender in Casino Royale. We simplified those proportions for a drink that really highlights the freshness of Lillet (and lightens up the proof so you're not passed out after just one).

Instructions: In a mixing glass with ice, stir together an ounce of Lillet, an ounce of gin (we like Tanqueray Ten here), and an ounce of vodka, with a dash of orange bitters. When we say "stir," that means good and long -- 30-60 stirs -- not just a quick swirl with your spoon. You really want to chill this guy down. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon peel, giving it a good twist before you add it to the glass in order to spray those citrus oils on top.

Intermediate: French Connection

They're both French, they're both made from grapes -- Cognac and Lillet work together beautifully in this stirred cocktail. Fans of other dark spirits should take well to cognac; it's smoother and sweeter than a bourbon, say, but aged in oak and therefore picks up a lot of those same vanilla-caramel notes. A little honey syrup brings all the elements together.

Instructions: To a mixing glass with ice, add an ounce of Lillet and an ounce of Cognac. (We're fans of Pierre Ferrand -- their 1840 is high-quality but reasonably priced, and works well in cocktails.) Add a dash of Angostura and a dash of orange bitters, if you have them; then add a quarter-ounce of honey syrup (honey cut with equal parts hot water, so it blends more easily).

Stir that all up, strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, and garnish with an orange peel.

Advanced: Sunday in the Park

Since Lillet is made with citrus and slightly herbal, we wanted to find the best citrus and herbs to pair with it--which is how we devised this easy-drinking bourbon cooler. It's a good idea to double-strain this cocktail to get rid of any floating thyme bits, but if you skip this step we won't tell the Cocktail Police. Just don't leave out the thyme, in the drink itself or in the garnish--that's what makes this cocktail so compelling.

Instructions: In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1.5 ounces Lillet, 1.5 ounces of bourbon (we like Buffalo Trace), an ounce of fresh lemon juice, a dash of Angostura bitters, and a quarter-ounce of simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water). Toss a full thyme sprig in there, too. Shake hard, and double-strain (that is, through a fine mesh strainer) into a tall glass with fresh ice. Add an ounce or two of soda water to top it off and garnish with a new thyme sprig.

Lillet Drinks

Drinks containing Lillet

Choose from 27 drink recipes containing Lillet.

Learn more about Lillet in the drink dictionary!

24 Martini (Martini) Beefeater 24, Lillet, Orange Bitters Baronial (Cocktail) Angostura Bitters, Cointreau, Gin, Lillet Blue Star (Cocktail) Blue Curacao, Gin, Lillet, Orange Juice Camus Canine Reviver #2 (Cocktail) Camus VS Elegance, Lillet, Lucid Absinthe Superieure, Orange Juice, Triple Sec Country Club Cooler #2 (Cocktail) Grenadine, Lillet, Sparkling Water Culross (Cocktail) Apricot Brandy, Lemon Juice, Light Rum, Lillet HedkrAvin (Shooter) Angostura Bitters, Blue Curacao, Lillet Hoopla (Cocktail) Brandy, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, Lillet Hoots Mon (Cocktail) Lillet, Scotch, Sweet Vermouth James Bond Martini #1 (Martini) Gin, Lillet, Vodka Lillet Cocktail (Cocktail) Dry Gin, Lillet Maiden's Prayer #3 (Shooter) Calvados, Gordon's Dry Gin, Lillet Metropolitan (Cocktail) Black Currant Vodka, Lillet, Lime Juice Mrs. Taylors (Cocktail) Club Soda, Gin, Lillet, Triple Sec Old Etonian (Cocktail) Creme de Noyeaux, Gin, Lillet, Orange Bitters Once-Upon-A-Time (Cocktail) Apricot Brandy, Gin, Lillet Secret Martini (Martini) Angostura Bitters, Gin, Lillet Soju Squeeze (Cocktail) Lillet, Orange Juice, Simple Syrup, Soju Springtime Martini #1 (Martini) Lillet, Zubrowka Vodka Strawberry Blonde (Cocktail) Lillet, Stolichnaya ( Stoli ) Strawberry Vodka The Skinny Carlos (Cocktail) Champagne, Grapefruit Juice, Lillet, Partida Blanco Tequila, Pomegranate Juice Tiger Lillet (Cocktail) Dry Vermouth, Lillet, Maraschino Liqueur, Van Der Hum Liqueur Twentieth Century (Cocktail) Creme de Cacao, Gin, Lemon Juice, Lillet Vesper (Cocktail) Gordon's Dry Gin, Lillet, Vodka Vesper Martini (Martini) Dry Gin, Lillet Waikiki Martini (Martini) Dry Vermouth, Lillet, Pineapple Vodka Xena Martini (Martini) Honey Vodka, Lillet, Zubrowka Vodka

Lillet Cocktail

Ingredients (3)

• 1 1/2 ounces Lillet Blanc
• 1 ounce gin
• Twist of lemon peel

• Calories 110
• Fat 0.01g
• Saturated fat 0.0g
• Trans fat
• Carbs 1.48g
• Fiber 0.21g
• Sugar 0.42g
• Protein 0.06g
• Cholesterol
• Sodium 2.81mg
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (1 servings)Powered by

Apéritif cocktails are blends of wine, spirits, and liqueurs that are served generally before, but sometimes after, dinner. The cocktail may often be taken for granted, but the apéritif rarely is. Put the two together, and you have a sublime combination that beckons the appetizer tray. Whatever the ingredients, an apéritif is a light alcoholic beverage meant to stimulate the appetite, the conversation, and the mind. The soul of the apéritif is a mix of conviviality and reflection.

Lillet Cocktail

Ingredients (3)

• 1 1/2 ounces Lillet Blanc
• 1 ounce gin
• Twist of lemon peel

• Calories 110
• Fat 0.01g
• Saturated fat 0.0g
• Trans fat
• Carbs 1.48g
• Fiber 0.21g
• Sugar 0.42g
• Protein 0.06g
• Cholesterol
• Sodium 2.81mg
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (1 servings)Powered by

Apéritif cocktails are blends of wine, spirits, and liqueurs that are served generally before, but sometimes after, dinner. The cocktail may often be taken for granted, but the apéritif rarely is. Put the two together, and you have a sublime combination that beckons the appetizer tray. Whatever the ingredients, an apéritif is a light alcoholic beverage meant to stimulate the appetite, the conversation, and the mind. The soul of the apéritif is a mix of conviviality and reflection.

Lillet Cocktails

Directions

For each drink, pour 2/3 cup Lillet Blanc (or dry vermouth) into a wine glass with ice. Add 2 dashes orange bitters. Top with sparkling wine or seltzer and garnish with a slice of orange.

Photograph by Anna Williams

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

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Lillet cocktails

Toute la fraîcheur d’un apéritif au goût moelleux et fruité

Nos emballages peuvent faire l'objet d'une consigne de tri, pour en savoir plus : : www.consignesdetri.fr

Les informations personnelles pouvant être recueillies sur ce site font l’objet d’un traitement informatique par la société RICARD pour la gestion des demandes des utilisateurs et, sous réserve de votre consentement, pour permettre l’envoi d’informations commerciales. Conformément à la loi « informatique et libertés » du 6 janvier 1978 modifiée, vous disposez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et de suppression, aux informations qui vous concernent, que vous pouvez exercer aux adresses suivantes: (lillet@lillet.com - RICARD SAS, Service Marketing, 4-6 rue Berthelot 13014 Marseille).Vous pouvez également, pour des motifs légitimes, vous opposer au traitement de données vous concernant.

Vous pouvez également demander à ne plus recevoir les newsletters en suivant les instructions figurant dans chacune d’elles, lorsque vous les recevrez.

Lillet cocktails

Weekend Cocktail: The Lillet Blanc and Gin

“The human brain starts working the moment you’re born and never stops – until you stand up to speak in public.” – George Jessel

I was recently asked to toast a very dear friend on one of the most important days of his life. I’m no stranger to public speaking, but I’ll confess that up until the moment I stood to deliver my remarks my nerves were a bit jangled. Perhaps it was the importance of the occasion, or the esteemed and learned guests in attendance, but I was as rattled as I ever get. Happily, my remarks were well-received and my friend was appropriately moved by them.

Public speaking is routinely listed among the greatest fears of Americans. More than poverty; more than disease; more than war; more than clowns; more than sharks; indeed, Americans fear getting up in front of an audience to speak more than they fear death itself. Most people, given the option, would prefer to take a punch to the solar plexus than give a 5-minute presentation. Some report such a level of anxiety that you have to wonder if they wouldn’t rather just shove bamboo slivers under their fingernails.

However, anyone who enjoys a good drink should be prepared to deliver a toast at some point, whether impromptu or as part of a ceremony. It’s simply how things are done. In certain cultures every single drink is an occasion for a toast, and it becomes something of an endurance contest. Thankfully, in America we have a system that allows for an official toast as part of the program of events. After that the obligation is done – which is not to say that some potentially disastrous off-the-cuff remarks by a drunken uncle are precluded.

Some helpful tips for giving a toast, should the duty fall to you:

1. Prepare. This is the cardinal virtue of public speaking. Write out what you want to say, and memorize key points. Try your very best not to read from your notes, but instead to use them as prompts. Practice your delivery, preferably with someone to give you pointers on your body language and tone of voice.
2. Be brief. Try to keep the entire toast under five minutes. Three is better.
3. Know your audience. You may be giving this toast in a room of a hundred or more, but the toast is for the person you’re honoring. Speak about them to the audience, and then in the last portion speak directly to them.
4. If you aren’t funny, don’t try to be funny. In addition, don’t go for cheap laughs at your friend’s expense – say only good things, and mention only harmless quirks. No dirty laundry. You’re honoring them. Speak from the heart.
5. Do not clink your glass for attention. You may break it, and then your toast is pretty well over. If you aren’t introduced then stand, ask for quiet, and the word will get around. Wait until people settle to begin.

One important consideration before the toast begins is to avoid drinking too much. Once the toast is concluded you may safely tie one on, but while you have a job to do you should keep it to one or two drinks.

My suggestion is to err on the side of a lighter, less hard-hitting cocktail. This week’s mix is a perfect example.

Lillet Blanc and Gin

Lillet is a French apéritif that was perhaps most prominently featured in the movie Casino Royale, when James Bond orders his famous take on the Martini. Remarkably floral on the nose, it possesses a wonderfully complex and fruity flavor of honey and orange rounded out beautifully by aging in oak barrels. Many classic cocktails call for it, though the reformulated Lillet on the shelves today is not the bitter Kina Lillet favored by Mr. Bond (for that, it seems you’d need to track down someCocchi Americano). Even so, the modern Lillet is a superb addition to a well-stocked bar and can usually be found hanging out with the vermouths at your local wine shop.

As a before-dinner drink, a cocktail including Lillet is a natural choice. A basic mixture of gin and Lillet is a breeze for a busy host to prepare and will be appreciated by aficionados and less-experienced tipplers alike.

• 3 parts Lillet Blanc
• 1 part Plymouth gin
• Lemon or orange peel for garnish (or neither)

Pour the gin and Lillet into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake enthusiastically until cold, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon or orange peel – or a twist if you’re looking for a bit more visual pizzazz. The cocktail will take it from there.

The floral notes of Lillet pair beautifully with the smooth flavors of Plymouth gin, I’ve found. A gin with more bite works well, but Plymouth’s sweet, citrusy taste marries up to the apéritif seamlessly. Give it a try, and perhaps you will agree that it loosens the tongue while leaving you sharp enough to carry out such duties as you may be called upon to perform.

Copyright © 2017 The Federalist, a wholly independent division of FDRLST Media, All Rights Reserved.

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Copyright © 2017 The Federalist, a wholly independent division of FDRLST Media, All Rights Reserved.

Lillet cocktails

Toute la fraîcheur d’un apéritif au goût moelleux et fruité

Nos emballages peuvent faire l'objet d'une consigne de tri, pour en savoir plus : : www.consignesdetri.fr

Les informations personnelles pouvant être recueillies sur ce site font l’objet d’un traitement informatique par la société RICARD pour la gestion des demandes des utilisateurs et, sous réserve de votre consentement, pour permettre l’envoi d’informations commerciales. Conformément à la loi « informatique et libertés » du 6 janvier 1978 modifiée, vous disposez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et de suppression, aux informations qui vous concernent, que vous pouvez exercer aux adresses suivantes: (lillet@lillet.com - RICARD SAS, Service Marketing, 4-6 rue Berthelot 13014 Marseille).Vous pouvez également, pour des motifs légitimes, vous opposer au traitement de données vous concernant.

Vous pouvez également demander à ne plus recevoir les newsletters en suivant les instructions figurant dans chacune d’elles, lorsque vous les recevrez.

Recipe Review: Lillet Liberté Cocktail for Bastille Day

Straight Up Cocktails and Spirits

Just because the 4th of July weekend is over doesn't mean our look at quick and easy celebratory cocktails has to end. After all, Bastille Day's just around the corner, storming in next Thursday, July 14th. Here's a light and lovely 3-ingredient cocktail to toast the occasion: the Liberté featuring the summery, citrusy apéritif, Lillet Blanc.

When I first spotted this cocktail on the menu at an event I attended the other week, I was eager to give it a try. I'm a big fan of Lillet Blanc - and of Martinis made with gin - and thought this simple Lillet, gin, and orange bitters combo looked like a truly refreshing pre-dinner drink for a warm summer night.

And it's more than just its French apéritif base that gives this cocktail Bastille Day cred. As its creators note: "The white stripe on the French flag represents freedom, and so with this cocktail we offer the modern drinker the freedom to do things differently, enjoying Lillet in a Martini rather than vermouth." (And yes, they did come up with two more Lillet cocktails called Fraternité and Egalité to round out the set.)

Something of a cross between an old-school Classic Martini (gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters), and the Vesper Martini (gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc or the quinine-tinged Cocchi Americano), the Lillet-dominant Liberté is fresh and light-tasting with a bit of orange-y warmth. Vive la différence!

Liberté Cocktail (by Nicole Cloutier and Jacqueline Patterson for Lillet, used with permission)

1 ounce Hendrick's gin (I substituted a gin I had on hand, Oxley, which worked quite well with this recipe because of its citrus-y notes)

2 dashes Fee Brothers orange bitters (I used Regan's)

garnish: orange peel

Stir ingredients together with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a thin slice of orange peel, twisted over the drink to release its essential oils.

Have you ever tried a cocktail made with Lillet?

Nora Maynard is a longtime home mixologist and an occasional instructor at NYC's Astor Center. She is a contributor to The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries and is the recipient of the American Egg Board Fellowship in culinary writing at the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow. She previously covered food and drink in film at The Kitchn in her weekly column, The Celluloid Pantry.

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