Lillet (pronounced Lee-Lay) is a fruity and floral wine-based aperitif, crafted in the South of France. With three variations, Lillet Rosé, Blanc and Rouge, Lillet is created following a 150-year-old secret recipe. We use only the finest wines from around Bordeaux, blended with delicate fruit infusions and a touch of Quinine. Très refreshing, low in sugar and alcohol, Lillet Rosé is destined to become your new favourite Spritz ingredient!
In the UK, Lillet is represented by Jessie Jarvis, who has turned her passion for hospitality and mixology into a career in the drinks marketing.
Jessie grew up with hospitality in her veins, working in her family’s country house hotel in Suffolk from a very young age, run by her winemaker father. After a stint in biochemical research studying antibiotic resistance, Jessie became a gin distiller and combined her passion for hospitality and mixology with her scientific background. Now Jessie represents all things Aperitif for Pernod Ricard, embodying the brand with joie de vivre.
I love working in the drinks industry because…
I always loved working in hospitality, whether that’s been making delicious cocktails or creating bespoke, beautiful weddings and events for guests. When I went to university and continued working part-time in a bar, I found connections between my Biochemistry degree and my burgeoning interest in mixology. Working in the drinks industry allows me to combine my passion for creating conviviality and sharing a beautiful brand.
Lillet is best known for…
…being an irresistibly elegant, fruity and low-alcohol spritz. Lillet is also well known as a key ingredient in James Bond’s iconic Vesper Martini, made with Gin, Vodka and Lillet Blanc – shaken, not stirred (of course).
My favourite cocktail to serve at a drinks reception for a wedding is…
A simple, yet elegant Lillet Rosé Spritz: 1 part Lillet Rosé, 2 parts tonic, served over ice and garnished with grapefruit and a sprig of thyme – voila!
Delicious, refreshing and easy to make, so that any venue should be able to create it for your guests.
My favourite food pairings with Lillet are…
Lillet Rosé pairs so beautifully with crisp refreshing flavours and is perfect for a summer wedding. As a starter, I love a classic Lillet Rosé spritz paired with a watermelon and feta salad, or figs wrapped in parma ham.
Even though it’s such a delicate liquid, Lillet Rosé compliments a main of lamb glazed with blackberry and balsamic with surprising elegance.
A dessert of Eton Mess pairs beautifully with Lillet Rosé served on-the-rocks. For a grown-up twist on the classic dessert, instead of using whipped cream, you can fold Lillet into mascarpone as well as macerating the berries with Lillet Rosé, mint and a touch of sugar – divine!
Lillet is the perfect cocktail to serve at weddings because…
A Lillet Rosé spritz truly is the perfect cocktail to have at a wedding; It’s refreshing, so it can be sipped on a hot day as a welcome drink; it’s low alcohol, so your guests can enjoy a few of them and not start pulling outrageous shapes on the dance floor too early; and it’s an elegant, yet cost-savvy alternative to champagne, meaning you can save that gorgeous glass of bubbles for the toasts!
Serving a signature cocktail at your wedding, whilst introducing your guests to something they may not have tried before, can be a wonderful way to make your special day truly memorable day.
Shop Lillet here.
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