La Maison Lillet

La maison Lillet

Since 1872

Lillet has been made in the petit village of Podensac in the heart of the Bordeaux region. Lovingly crafted by a team of just 10 people, the closely guarded recipe for our iconic apéritifs is as much an art as it is science.

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Looking back at
150 YEARS OF HISTORY

A Maison
founded in 1872

Brothers Raymond and Paul Lillet, liqueur makers and fine wine and spirit merchants, founded the Maison Lillet in Podensac, a small village south of Bordeaux, in 1872. It was in 1887 that they created Bordeaux’s first and truly unique apéritif: Lillet.

Mid 30’s
a small business with big ambitions starts exporting

Lillet found popularity in post-World War I Britain during the 1930s and 40s. The brand continued to grow into the 1950s in London’s leading bars. This was the world that gave rise to The Vesper, James Bond’s legendary cocktail based on Lillet. Author Ian Fleming discovered the apéritif and included it in his book Casino Royale.

 

At the same time, the Bordeaux apéritif was also expanding in America and became a firm favorite in New York’s fashionable bars.

 

In 1962, Lillet Rouge was created for an American market with a taste for red wine.

Lillet today
and its success

The search for quality products made using real ingredients and traditional methods has brought renewed awareness and success to apéritifs of character such as Lillet.

 

In 2011, Lillet Rosé was launched, building on the success of rosé wines globally.