Fontbonne Herbal Liqueur
Fontbonne Herbal Liqueur is a 90-proof (45% ABV) French herbal liqueur in a 700mL bottle, distilled in Dijon from 26 plants, roots, and spices. A revival of the FONTBONNE Verte recipe created by Jean Fontbonne in 1874 — lost when the company sold in 1909 and now resurrected — it arrived in the U.S. in August 2024 as a genuine Chartreuse alternative. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 90 proof (45% ABV)
- Size: 700mL
- Botanicals: 26 — including tarragon, fennel, pine bud, liquorice, rosemary, cardamom, lavender, elderflower, gentian, basil, cinnamon, thyme, chamomile, sage, juniper, angelica, and black tea
- Origin: distilled by Maison Fontbonne, Dijon, France; recipe dates to 1874
- Style: high-proof green herbal liqueur; natural botanicals, secret recipe
A Lost 1874 Recipe, Found Again
In his twilight years, Jean Fontbonne crafted his final masterpiece — FONTBONNE Verte, a green herbal liqueur of 26 botanicals meant to "dance on the palate and linger as a cherished memory." The recipe passed to his son, then vanished in the 1909 sale of the company. Its modern reincarnation keeps the original ambition: distillation and infusion of 26 meticulously selected plants for powerful harmony and subtle balance, at a full 90 proof that stands up to Green Chartreuse. Explore the Fontbonne collection and more liqueur at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per Difford's Guide: pungent and herbal on the nose — turmeric, pine, thyme, mint, liquorice, gentian. The palate is assertively herbal with black pepper spice; gentian, mint, sage, and basil stand out amid hard-to-parse complexity. The aftertaste is cracked black pepper, minty herbal freshness — cleansing and long.
How to Enjoy
Neat or chilled as an after-dinner digestif, where the pepper-spice cuts the sweetness. It subs into any cocktail calling for green Chartreuse, and makes a fine Fontbonne Tonic: two parts Fontbonne, tonic or soda, lime, ice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fontbonne a Chartreuse substitute?
It is widely positioned as one — a 90-proof French green herbal liqueur of 26 botanicals in the same tradition, though tasters note it is not as intense as Green Chartreuse.
What botanicals are in Fontbonne?
Twenty-six, including tarragon, fennel, pine bud, liquorice, rosemary, cardamom, lavender, elderflower, gentian, basil, cinnamon, thyme, chamomile, sage, juniper, angelica, iris, lemon and orange peel, and black tea.
When did Fontbonne come to the U.S.?
August 2024, imported by Terlato Artisan Spirits — ending 150 years as a France-only legend.
The green fairy of Dijon — buy Fontbonne Herbal Liqueur online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.