COCA BUTON, a FORGOTTEN TASTE

In conjunction with the epic of the Wine Mariani, in Bologna (Italy) a Coca liqueur, named Coca Buton appeared on the scene; because of the relatively small amount of Coca leaves used in its production, after the extraction of the alkaloid cocaine, it reached a wide success on the Italian and foreign markets for a time even longer than the Wine Mariani,

In the green and syrupy liqueur Coca Buton various aromatic herbs stay together with green Coca, being the alcohol content around 36.5 degrees.

Despite the penalty the green Coca was submitted to, with prejudices towards the products containing it, the Italian liqueur made initially an exception: its production strictly controlled and the sales grew up widely; just after reaching the apex of success, however, the fine liqueur trend slipped down, in a progressive descent, which brought it into oblivion, although its elegant bottle can still be found in special boutiques for amateurs.

Here below an original sample, donated by my brother Maurizio, who was lucky enough to find it  in the Enoteca Bottazzi in Besozzo (Varese-Italy).

It seems that still in the 90ties the Buton Company imported green Coca leaves from Andean Countries, producing per year around 80,000 bottles of 700 ml, with a label saying, in Italian and English: Exotic in taste and with a fascinating history, Coca Buton was one of Buton’s earliest successes. Its pleasant but unusual flavour comes from Peruvian Coca (imported and processed under the surveillance of the competent authorities) from which the cocaine molecule is eliminated through distillation, leaving only the natural properties which reputedly conferred legendary endurance upon Inca couriers.