Kina Lillet

Also known as “Amer Lillet”. Defunct, proprietary quinine aperitif wine (quinquina) from Bordeaux. Editor’s preface: this is a catchall entry for expressions of Lillet prior to the current era, which for convenience sake, we refer to as “Kina Lillet”, even though the product was not always labeled as such. Considerable confusion hangs over this product, which originated in the late 19th Century as a regional product “Amer Lillet”, remaining obscure in most markets throughout the 20th Century, except for a couple notable breakthroughs: England in late 1920s and early 1930s, and the United States in the 1960s. Inconsistent labeling contributed to the confusion, as product merely labeled “Lillet” or even “Lilet” appeared in some markets, with no mention of “kina”. The “Kina Lillet” labeling period appears to have been from some point in the 1950s until 1975. Moreover, the producer frequently tinkered with the formula, making different versions for different importers. These were all basically the same product regardless of label, which lives on today as “Lillet Blanc”, but varied to some degree in sweetness, ABV, and aromatization (bitterness). For example, we know from correspondence that a “drier”, bitterer, higher-proof version was made for the English market roughly coincidental to the eruption of cocktail recipes calling for Lillet in the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930). Those recipes employ Lillet much in the manner of a dry vermouth. At other times and places, Lillet was probably comparatively bittersweet. (Today’s Lillet product is much better distributed than it ever was, and is a profoundly mild quinquina. See Lillet Blanc.) The upshot is that you probably cannot make Lillet cocktails today that taste like they did in London in the 1930s. (Or in the United States in the 1960s, for that matter.) Some have advocated trying Cocchi Americano (an Italian gentian-and-quinine aromatized aperitif wine) or Kina l’Avion d’Or (a contemporary quinquina) to get closer. This strategy may produce a better drink, but it will probably not produce a more authentic one. Technically, quinquina is ad hoc generic for sweetened fortified aperitif wines containing quinine (thus “quinquina”) and spices. The major brands are: Bonal, Byrrh, Dubonnet, Lillet, and St. Raphael. The quinine is the bitter constituent which promotes production of digestive enzymes and, therefore, appetite. Most quinquinas are produced from mistelle (fortified grape juice) rather than actual fermented wine. Quinquinas are similar to vermouths, but emphasize other botanicals. Quinquina products tend to be idiosyncratic and they don’t really substitute for each other in mixed drinks—a substitution might produce a palatable drink, but it will probably be a completely different drink. In mixed drinks, the fact is that, in historic mixed drink recipes, “quinquina” meant Dubonnet (the red stuff), period. If another product was intended, it would be specified by name.