There are many amazing companies out there producing great vodka – all working to create a unique product and make a name for themselves. Even among the greatest efforts, though, Absolut stands out. What sets them apart? Not only do they have over a century of knowledge and experience, but their passion is unmatched and their best Absolut Vodka flavors add a delicious twist to a pretty standard drink.
They are dedicated to constant improvement, innovation, and progression, but they also strive to create inclusive environments, positive experiences, and inspire everyone around them. They do this not only with their products but with the culture they’ve created and the support they give.
Coming up with the best Absolut vodka flavors was a difficult list to create, as they put their all into everything they do. Their original vodka is undisputed in its quality and notoriety, and their line of delicious flavors follows suit. They all have something special and unique to offer, and all of them are smooth, sippable, and refreshing. The following are a few that simply stand out from the rest in terms of flavor and popularity.
The Best Absolut Vodka Flavors (With Pictures!)
1. Absolut Raspberri
For many, Absolut Raspberri is at the very top of Absolut’s flavor range. It also gets much attention for its odd spelling – which is far from a mistake. It’s meant to represent the Swedish origin of the drink itself as well as the berries. The expression uses wild raspberries that are found along the hillsides in Sweden and it does well to showcase the distinct flavors.
Absolut Raspberri is made using their standard, award-winning vodka made with a winter-wheat base. This is mixed with fresh, natural berries and no added sugar – the wild berries speak for themselves.
Despite the deep red color of raspberries, the drink is crystal clear in the bottle. The aroma is strong and sweet, with notes of raspberry jam and a vanilla ice cream undertone. Very interesting and inviting.
The palate is creamy and full of rich raspberry flavor with notes of the clean, grainy vodka coming through subtly. The finish offers more sweet raspberry jam with just a brief touch of black pepper and another quick hint of vanilla.
2. Absolut Mango
Mango is among the more tropical flavors and it’s often very strong and very sweet. It’s a popular smoothie ingredient and many people favor the fruit itself. Absolut Mango takes this highly sought-after fruit and turns it into a revolutionary expression that embodies everything everyone loves about a fresh, juicy mango.
They create the drink by blending their standard vodka with natural mango flavors, without any added sugars, artificial flavors, or other additives. It’s all-natural and all mango! It’s perfectly delicious served chilled or on the rocks while also making an ideal base for almost any sweet, summery cocktail.
The aroma is strong and inviting, with sweet, pungent notes of mango dancing around on your nose. The palate is full-bodied and offers strong, enticing notes of ripe mango with passion fruit and pineapple coming through in the background. It’s a true tropical medley that’s just begging to be sipped while you relax on the beach!
3. Absolut Vanilla
Absolut Vanilla is another long-standing favorite in Absolut’s lineup of flavored drinks. Vanilla as a flavor is rich, complex, and versatile. It’s a base flavor for many drinks as well as desserts and other dishes. Even many scents and aromatic products use it, in both natural and synthetic forms.
So, it’s no surprise that everyone loves Absolut Vanilla so much. Absolut has a fantastic reputation in the world of vodka for creating a smooth and drinkable expression. Then, they do well to blend it with natural ingredients and vanilla flavors to create an unforgettable drink with unmatched taste.
The aroma is deep and delicious with notes of vanilla ice cream dominating, and a touch of dark chocolate and black pepper there in the background. The palate is similar, with vanilla on the front and butterscotch and dark chocolate coming up mid-palate with vanilla staying steady throughout. The finish has more vanilla with a hint of spice. Despite the sweet, ice-cream-like notes on the nose, the palate is dry and it’s perfect for mixing.
4. Absolut Pears
With more than 3,000 varieties of pears available across the world – Absolut had their work cut out for them with this one. Factor in their expression being one of the first-ever pear vodkas to exist, and there’s a bit of pressure here. But, they came through and delivered a crisp and delicious vodka that is, most of all, authentic.
Pears have a unique taste that, in their organic form, is not overwhelmingly sweet. The flavor is crisp and refreshing, but not candy-sweet. Unfortunately, many companies have taken the idea of a pear flavor and produced something more akin to pear candy that often turns too sweet, sometimes cloying. Perhaps this is suitable for some shots on a Friday night, or cheap cocktails for a big party, but Absolut wanted to step up their game.
Absolut Pears is clean and crystal clear in the bottle – nothing was added to create a glaring, neon color.
The aroma is simple – crisp, clean, pungent notes of whole, fresh pears. The palate follows with strong notes of ripened pear, some floral notes in the background, and a burst of peppery spice. The finish is long with robust, lingering notes of more pear and spice.
5. Absolut Citron
Last, but not least, is the infamous Absolut Citron. This flavored vodka is one of the most popular bases for fruit, summer, citrus drinks. This is due to its perfect combination of natural, top-notch flavor, good quality, and smooth, sippable nature. It tastes sublime served chilled or on the rocks with a twist of lime to garnish. It’s also a staple for many who like to make a classic Cosmopolitan.
The aroma is delicate and perfectly balanced – offering sweet and tangy notes of citrus without an overwhelming intensity. There are subtle but noticeable hints of the wheat grain and vodka in the background.
The palate offers a medium body and gentle, inviting notes of sweet lemon and citrus peel. The sweetness is truly delightful but again, not overwhelming. Absolut has balanced this profile with perfect precision. Sweet notes of grain are found behind the lemon and the finish offers a gentle warming and a soft bite.
If you like citrus flavored vodka, you may want to try some of these cucumber flavored vodkas.
6. Absolut Peppar
Absolut Peppar is an interesting expression. It was originally designed as an easy bloody Mary ingredient and can even be mixed with just tomato juice.
The vodka’s aroma has strong black pepper and bell pepper nuances, while there’s a heavy black pepper flavor on the palate. The strength of the black pepper flavor means that this isn’t the best vodka for everyone and some people find that it is much too intense. Still, for others, it’s a perfect vodka expression.
If you’re going to sip the vodka, try serving it over ice. The ice mellows the flavor somewhat and makes the vodka easier to enjoy. Or, simply include this vodka in your next bloody Mary.
7. Absolut Wild Berri
Every brand needs a berry expression and Absolut Wild Berry gets everything right. The flavor profile is a combination of wild strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, with the strawberries taking precedence.
This is a fantastic expression for anyone getting a little bored of single-berry flavors like blueberry vodka. The vodka would be particularly good when added to a summer cocktail or even just mixed with tonic water.
8. Absolut Berri Açaí
Absolut Berri Açaí is another berry expression, but it’s distinct enough to deserve its own mention. This time the spirit relies on a combination of pomegranate, açaí, and blueberry. The açaí is really what makes the expression stand out, as it provides an unusual flavor tone and plenty of sweetness to the spirit.
There is even a hint of bubblegum in the aroma. Don’t worry, though, this isn’t overwhelming at all and the palate still focuses on berry flavors.
The catch is that Absolut isn’t producing this flavor for the American market anymore, which is why you won’t see it on Drizly or similar sites. You might still be able to find it in some locations or have it imported, but this isn’t a guarantee at all.
9. Absolut Smoky Pina
Finally, we have Smoky Piña. This is another non-US expression, but Absolut might release it here in the future.
The vodka has a distinct smoky-sweet pineapple flavor, along with a spicy chili finish. The flavor is fairly intense, which makes sense, as Absolut designed this to be enjoyed on its own rather than mixed. It would make for a fantastic shot or perhaps a drink to be sipped slowly over ice.
The flavors would work well in a few cocktails too, like a pina colada. However, the intense and unusual flavors can make this a difficult vodka for cocktails. You might even need to create new recipes of your own.
The Legacy of L.O Smith
If you love vodka, you know Absolut – whether it’s your favorite or not. They’ve done well creating a solid reputation for themselves and their drink. It’s a favorite for many and its status is well-deserved – it’s smooth, clean, delicious, and neutral – the best of what vodka should be.
While many know they’re an old company, though, fewer know the story behind the man they see on the crest of every bottle. Not only was the company’s founder a fierce entrepreneur but he was a changemaker, a pioneer, and a leader.
L.O. Smith began working at just 10 years old. His work at the company was profound and by 11 years old his salary was more than the average adult of the time. His work ethic, bright ideas, and ingenuity had him making millions by the time he was 23.
In addition to founding The Absolut Company, which would go on to produce some of the world’s best and most famous spirits, he was a social and political fighter. He served as a member of parliament and supported suffrage many years before it became law.
He founded many programs that aimed to create better conditions for workers, and he opened public canteens that provided many people access to healthy, affordable food. He also heavily promoted drinking in moderation. He had a love for spirits and alcohol, no doubt, but he never wanted alcohol to harm anyone.
During this time, it was common for Swedish vodka to contain fusel alcohol, which was incredibly unhealthy. L.O. Smith was so interested in combating this that he traveled to France to learn more.
Here, he found a factory that had a method for removing these harmful substances. He subsequently bought his own factory and began producing vodka using these methods. He would go on to tweak the process and create many other processes that would further purify his vodka, making it some of the healthiest on the market.
Unfortunately, his company went through many ups and downs and plenty of financial hardship. Eventually, the other owners of the company decided they wanted Smith out and they planned a coup while he was out of the country.
Smith caught wind of the rumors, however, and returned to the country and attended their general meeting in disguise! He ended up selling his shares for an exorbitant amount of money, which he used to start a new company, which grew to even greater success. More bumps and roadblocks appeared along the way, but L.O. Smith simply refused to give up. He fought many battles with local authorities when it came to licenses and approvals, and he constantly worked to improve his purification methods.
From breaking company sales records at 11 to attending the takeover of his own company in disguise, no one can deny that this man lived an exciting and extraordinary life. His brilliance not only brought on social change and many great ideas, but it also gave us Absolut Vodka – the perfect, smoothest, most delicious way to carry on the man’s legacy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Absolut Vodka Gluten Free?
Regular Absolut Vodka is gluten free and the flavors should be as well. Indeed, the company notes that all the flavor ingredients themselves are gluten free. While there’s still a chance that some of these ingredients have come in contact with gluten, any such gluten contamination should be minimal and is unlikely to cause reactions.
What Is Absolut Vodka Made From?
Absolut Vodka uses Swedish winter wheat as a base ingredient. However, this doesn’t mean their vodka contains gluten, as all gluten is lost during the distilling process.
Where Is Absolut Vodka Made?
Absolut Vodka is a Swedish brand, made in Åhus, which is a village in south Sweden.
What Is The Alcohol Percentage Of Absolut Vodka?
Absolut Vodka is generally 40% Alcohol by Volume (ABV), which puts it at 80 proof. However, the percentage sometimes changes depending on the market and the product. In particular, 38% Absolut is surprisingly common. There is also a 50% ABV product called Absolut 100 product and some expressions come in at 35%.
How Many Absolut Vodka Flavors Are There?
Absolut Vodka has an impressive selection. Some estimates even suggest that there are more than 100 different flavors. However, these aren’t all on the market at the same time and their availability varies based on the location. You’ll probably see 20 or fewer flavors at one time in your market.
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