Average
Fruity & Citrusy
4 Minutes
Cocktail Glass
Ingredients
The Butterfly is a citrus-forward vodka cocktail made with Absolut Citron, Absolut Peach, peach liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and a dash of peach bitters – shaken with ice and fine strained into a chilled cocktail glass, garnished with a peach fan.
Worth noting – there’s more than one cocktail called the Butterfly. Ours is a peach and citrus-forward creation. There’s also one invented in London, made with green grapes, basil, mint, vodka, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice. And a Social Butterfly, made with gin or vodka, elderflower liqueur, butterfly pea flower syrup and sparkling wine.
Three drinks, one name, all very different.
How To Make A butterfly Cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Fine Strainer
Jigger
Boston Shaker
Hawthorne Strainer
Citrus Press
How to Mix
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Cut a Lime in half and juice using a citrus press or citrus elbow.
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Use a jigger to measure and pour the freshly squeezed Lime Juice into a cocktail shaker.
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Use the jigger to measure and add Simple Syrup.
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Measure and add Absolut Citron, Absolut Peach, and Peach Liqueur.
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Fill the shaker with ice cubes and then seal the shaker.
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Shake well until the outside of the shaker is ice cold.
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Open the shaker and place a Hawthorne strainer over the opening. Hold a fine mesh strainer over the chilled cocktail glass with your other hand. Pour the cocktail through both strainers into the glass.
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Skewer three Peach Slices to create a fan and place on the rim of the glass to garnish.
All about the Butterfly cocktail
The Butterfly is a shaken vodka cocktail made with Absolut Citron, Absolut Peach, peach liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and a dash of peach bitters, fine strained into a chilled cocktail glass and garnished with a peach fan.
Citrusy, peachy and well balanced despite the number of peach-forward ingredients. The lime juice leads with a sharp, tart edge, while Absolut Citron amplifies the citrus character further. Absolut Peach and peach liqueur bring a layered, fruity sweetness that’s rounded out by the simple syrup, with the peach bitters adding a final touch of depth right at the end.
The Butterfly’s exact origins aren’t documented, but the timing offers a clue. A video for the Butterfly was published on the Absolut Drinks YouTube channel in 2014 which is the earliest documented record we have of it.
- Always use fresh lime juice
The lime juice is the sharp, tart backbone of this drink – bottled lime juice won’t give you the same result. A citrus press or citrus elbow is all you need. - Chill your glass
Place your cocktail glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving. The Butterfly is a drink best served ice cold. - Double strain
Always double strain using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer, it gives you a clean, smooth drink. Here’s how to double strain and why it matters.
- Top with soda water
For a longer version, top the finished drink with a splash of soda water and serve in a highball glass over ice. Same flavors, different format. - Try it with Absolut Lime
Swap Absolut Citron for Absolut Lime and the citrus character shifts from lemon to lime – equally vibrant, just with a sharper edge.
- Glassware
Serve in a chilled cocktail glass – clean, elegant and the perfect vessel for a drink this fruit-forward. - Peach fan
Cut a fresh peach in half and remove the stone. Slice one half into thin segments and skewer three of them together to create a fan shape – an odd number always looks better. Place the peach fan directly into the drink or on the rim of the glass.
Butterfly Cocktail FAQ
Absolut Citron and Absolut Peach bring two distinct characters to the drink. Absolut Citron amplifies the citrus from the lime juice, while Absolut Peach reinforces the peach liqueur. Together they create layers of flavor that a single vodka couldn’t achieve on its own.
Cut a fresh peach in half and remove the stone. Slice one half into thin segments and skewer three of them together to create a fan shape. An odd number of slices is a basic rule of food plating – it’s more visually pleasing and gives the garnish a natural symmetry.
You can, but it won’t be quite the same. The peach bitters add a final layer of depth that ties everything together. If you don’t have peach bitters, aromatic bitters are the next best substitute – they won’t replicate the peach character, but they’ll add a similar layer of complexity
