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Born in Boston; Perfected in Switzerland

Butterfly absinthe is an award winning modern rendition of a classic pre-prohibition absinthe produced in Boston in the early 1900s.

 

Meet the Team

Butterfly is produced by Claude-Alain Bugnon, Europe’s most famous absinthe distiller. More than 60 production steps are required to make Butterfly over a three day period from plant selection through maceration and distillation, to application of signed, dated and numbered labels. Plants include locally grown grande wormwood, petite wormwood, hyssop, melissa and peppermint and the finest imported anise, star anise, fennel and citrus. Butterfly combines the best of both worlds: American heritage and recipe with Swiss “know how” and ingredients.

History

Butterfly is the first pre-ban absinthe of American origin to return to the USA. It was originally made in Boston circa 1902 at the Dempsey Distillery on Merrimac Street. The brand was resurrected by Boston-based absinthe historian, Brian Fernald. An empty bottle and the 1905 trademark registration helped give Fernald a label design and, after years of research in local archives, he unearthed Dempsey’s handwritten recipe book.

Learn more about our history

Where to Buy

Cocktail Recipes

Venture outside of the traditional absinthe preparation and find out how absinthe can be a key ingredient in both classic and new cocktails

Our Highlighted Absinthe Cocktail Recipes

 

What’s Inside Butterfly

BUTTERFLY remains true to both the recipe and methods employed by the original distiller.   Only the finest botanicals are used in this hand-crafted absinthe recreating an absinthe last enjoyed in the days of pre-prohibition America.

Butterfly Absinthe is made from only the highest quality ingredients – many of which are grown on farms a short distance from the distillery in Couvet, Switzerland.

Grand Wormwood

Fennel

Peppermint

Petite Wormwood

Lemon Balm

Star Anise

Green Anise

Hyssop

Licorice