Papillon is an award-winning small distillery based within the Dartmoor National Park. Our business is named for the Pearl-bordered fritillary, an endangered Dartmoor butterfly and we donate, financially and through volunteering, to a local Butterfly Conservation project that helps protect this species.
The Papillon family includes:
Papillon (Contemporary London Dry) distilled with 17 botanicals, including gorse flowers from the moor and leaves from locally grown Devon violets. Pearl-bordered fritillaries feed on wild violets.
The Admiral (Navy strength) distilled with 18 botanicals including navelwort and nettles. Red Admiral butterflies/caterpillars feed on nettles.
Carabus (Limited Edition collaboration with TV presenter Nick Baker) distilled with woodland botanicals of hawthorn and rowan berries, wood sorrel and hazelnuts. Named Carabus in celebration of the Dartmoor woodland-dwelling rare Blue Ground Beetle (Carabus intricatus), with £2 from every bottle donated to Buglife.
Our gins are all made with fresh Dartmoor spring water from a nearby hill farm where the Pearl-bordered fritillaries frequent. Nectar for both the gin drinker and the butterfly!
We try to keep our products as environmentally sensitive as possible: the tamper seals are made from cellulose and can be composted; we are a Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Champion; and we get our power through a 100% UK generated renewable supplier.