The 007 Files

What did Kina Lillet really taste like, and how close can you get to the Vesper Ian Fleming described in Casino Royale?
David Leigh is joined by drinks expert David T Smith, one of the few people to have tasted a surviving bottle of Kina Lillet. DTS explains how the old aperitif was not simply modern Lillet Blanc with more quinine. Different versions appear to have been produced for different markets, including a less sweet style for British drinkers who mixed it with gin.
That makes Bond’s order in Casino Royale harder to pin down than it first appears. Which Kina Lillet would he actually have been served? And how different would the resulting Vesper have tasted from the pale, dry version usually made today?
To find out, we taste DTS’s own approximation of Kina Lillet, made from equal parts Lillet Blanc and Kina Martini. Compared with modern Lillet, it is sweeter, heavier and slightly medicinal. Smith then uses it in a Vesper made with 47.3% Gordon’s gin and vintage 50% Smirnoff vodka. The drink is darker and fuller, with the golden colour Fleming described.
The Vesper itself comes under scrutiny too. Fleming later called it unpalatable, Bond never orders another one in the novels, and its highly specific recipe may have contained an element of mischief. The pair ask whether it is genuinely a great cocktail or whether its real importance comes from its place in Bond history.
They also move on to other drinks from Fleming and the films, including the Americano, the Stinger, Bond’s gin and tonic made with the juice of an entire lime, the vodka Alexander and the mysterious Foo Yuck. Smith explains which of them he would like to see used in Bond 26 and why the drink chosen for a scene should fit the place, character and situation rather than simply serve as product placement.
There is also the £600 Macallan released for the 55th anniversary of Diamonds Are Forever. DTS attended the London tasting and explains how the whisky drew on details from the film, including references to sherry and claret.
The episode ends with news of the forthcoming podcast Red Wine with Fish, co-hosted by David T Smith, which will take a deeper look at James Bond’s drinks across both the books and films.

Where to find us
David T Smith
https://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/
https://www.instagram.com/redwinewithfishpodcast/

David Leigh
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com

Additional links
The Complete Guide to the Drinks of James Bond
https://www.jamesbonddrinks.com

The James Bond Dossier article on Kina Lillet:
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/lifestyle/drink/kina-lillet.htm

Macallan Diamonds Are Forever 55th anniversary whisky:
https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com/features/the-macallan-unveils-diamonds-are-forever-55th-anniversary-release-in-london.htm

Roger Moore's perfect martini:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/17/how-make-dry-martini-roger-moore-way-james-bond

Recorded on 14th July 2026 in the UK and Spain.

Bond 26 appears to be getting into gear, with reported August auditions giving the clearest sign yet that Amazon MGM’s first James Bond film is taking shape.
Bill Koenig, Javi Trujillo and David Leigh look at what the latest casting reports really mean, why the new Bond auditions matter, and what this points towards.
The team breaks down the Deadline report on auditions for the new James Bond in August, and wonder if Global James Bond Day will be the moment Amazon finally does what Eon never did?
They also discuss Young Bond casting, Isaac Rouse in Big Finish’s upcoming SilverFin audio adaptation, the problem of public denials in Bond casting, and what can — and cannot — be learned from the Daniel Craig selection process for Casino Royale.
Javi also gives his verdict on 007 First Light, including Patrick Gibson’s performance as Bond, the game’s replay value, its similarity to Casino Royale, and whether Gibson should be considered a serious Bond 26 contender.
Along the way, David's dog gives his own opinion on the Deadline story, Bill outs himself as a Harry Potter fan, and Javi suggests David’s British citizenship may soon be revoked.
Where to find us
Bill Koenig
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Javi Trujillo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/javitru.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the⁠bondisnotenough⁠⁠
David Leigh
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Recorded in the USA and Spain on 29th June 2026.

Professor James Chapman, author of Licence To Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films, joins The 007 Files to talk about Bond, film history, and the stories that attach themselves to 007.
He begins with his own route into Bond: the films he first saw, how they landed at the time, and how that early interest eventually became serious work on the series. From there, the discussion moves into the way Bond has been written about, remembered and sometimes misremembered.
One example is the old story that Dr. No was, at one stage, going to feature the villain as a monkey. It is exactly the kind of detail that gets passed around because it sounds too strange to lose. Chapman explains why access to the archives matters. Without the drafts, memos and correspondence, it is too easy for a colourful anecdote to become the accepted version of events.The episode also covers Harry Saltzman’s influence, the early shape of cinematic Bond, and why the first film could so easily have gone in a very different direction.
Where to find us
Professor James Chapman
https://amzn.to/4xnYFH0
Bill Koenig
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Javi Trujillo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/javitru.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the⁠bondisnotenough⁠⁠⁠
David Leigh
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Recorded in the UK, USA and Spain on 8th June 2026.

In this episode of The 007 Files, Javi Trujillo and Bill Koenig talk to Kim Sherwood about her Double O trilogy and the world she created around a missing James Bond.
Kim discusses her own route into Bond, from first watching Pierce Brosnan on television to seeing Die Another Day as her first Bond film on the big screen. She also remembers reading From Russia, With Love at the age of 12, being struck by Ian Fleming’s style even though much of the book went over her head at the time.
The conversation looks at how Kim approached writing Bond without simply copying Fleming. She explains how she built a post-Fleming Bond world for the modern age, with new Double O agents stepping into the spotlight and contemporary threats such as climate change, disinformation, AI surveillance and global instability forming part of the background.
Kim also talks about her first edition Bond books, the creation of her Double O agents, and how their names came about, including how handwriting a letter to the original Joanna Harwood paid off dividends.
She discusses the way she used Fleming’s own work, hidden threads from the books, and legacy characters such as Felix Leiter while still giving the trilogy its own shape.
There is plenty here on research and process too, from planning the books visually on huge sheets of paper to looking into military trauma, real Russian hotels and the wider geopolitical mood shaped by events such as Brexit and Afghanistan.
Kim also talks about the value of saying your ambitions out loud. Her own crazy dream was to write James Bond — and sometimes, telling people what you really want to do can pay off.
Where to find us
Kim Sherwood
https://www.kimsherwoodauthor.com/
Bill Koenig
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Javi Trujillo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/javitru.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the⁠bondisnotenough⁠⁠
Recorded in the UK and USA on 1st June 2026 .

What does it really take to put on a Bond music tour? This episode breaks down the reality behind successfully performing James Bond soundtracks live—covering the cost, logistics, creative challenges and risks most audiences never see.
A Bond music tour looks effortless on stage. In reality, it’s a constant balancing act between ambition and survival. Warren Ringham, founder of Q The Music, explains how the project evolved from a function band into a dedicated Bond concert experience—and why that transition nearly failed. The conversation strips away the illusion and shows how fragile it can be.
The episode also digs into the technical side: how you take orchestral James Bond scores and adapt them for a smaller live band without losing impact. That challenge sits at the heart of the show’s identity. Alongside that comes the broader reality of sustaining a niche live act, including surviving major setbacks.
At the other end of that journey are the highs: performing at the memorial for Roger Moore and building a working relationship with Bond composer David Arnold.
You’ll come away with a better understanding of what it actually takes to put on a Bond music tour, from the financial and logistical pressures that sit behind every performance to the realities of sustaining a live show over time. The episode explains how large-scale orchestral James Bond scores are adapted for a smaller band without losing their impact, and why that process can be more complex than it appears.
Alongside that, you’ll see how the band built credibility within the Bond world, what audiences respond to most when hearing Bond music performed live, and how those reactions shape the show itself.
Where to find us
Warren Ringham
https://qthemusicshow.com/
Bill Koenig
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Javi Trujillo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/javitru.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the⁠bondisnotenough⁠⁠
David Leigh
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thejamesbonddossier.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Recorded in the UK, USA and Spain on 7th May 2026.