The birth of the Kir, originally just called a Cassis Blanc, is said to be at a bar in Dijon called Café George when a waiter named Faivre got the idea to mix white wine with the black currant liqueur Crème de Cassis. This was in 1904.

Years later the drink got its name after Canon Félix Kir, a Catholic priest and war hero working for the French resistance in Nazi occupied Dijon. When the Nazis marched into Dijon many officials fled. Canon Félix Kir chose to stay and helped more than 4,000 prisoners of war to escape from a nearby camp.

The Nazi forces are said to have confiscated all red Burgundy wines and to spite them Mr Kir mixed Crème de Cassis and dry white Bourgogne Aligoté wine to mimic the color of the Burgundy reds.

In 1945 Mr Kir became a member of the French Parliament and the mayor of Dijon, a position he held until his death in 1968. During his time as a mayor he worked hard to promote regional products like Burgundy wines and Crème de Cassis and the drink Cassis Blanc quickly became known as Kir.

After the war Canon Félix Kir was awarded the Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur, the highest civilian and military order of merit for his brave work with the French resistance.

Champagne is often used instead of a Bourgogne Aligoté and this version of the Kir is called Kir Royale.

The glass was designed in 1914, 10 years after the creation of the Kir, and is called Serie B. It was designed by the Austrian architect and designer Josef Hoffmann.

Product information

This is one in a series of illustrations of classic cocktail recipes with a selection of the most beautifully designed glasses.

The size 40x50 cm (approx 16x20”) are signed and printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White 310g archival paper and are sold in a limited edition of 50 prints.

The size 30x40 cm (approx 12x16”) are printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Studio Enhanced 210g archival paper.