Absolut Vanilia is a Swedish flavoured vodka with a vanilla profile, produced and bottled in the town of Åhus in southern Sweden. Its main ingredients are Swedish winter wheat and water drawn from local wells reaching as deep as 176 metres underground. The spirit contains no added sugar.
The Absolut brand traces its roots back to 1879, when Lars Olsson Smith introduced the continuous distillation method. Absolut Vanilia is made using continuous column distillation systems, which ensures high purity and a minimal content of by-products; after distillation, natural vanilla aroma obtained from the pods is added to the neutral spirit, with no further distillation or ageing in wood. The vanilla comes from Madagascar, and this variant debuted in the United States, Absolut's main market, in 2003.
It is worth noting a change in specification made a few years ago. In early 2022 Absolut Vanilia underwent another modification – the painted cross on the bottle was replaced by a broad brushstroke placed on the back, and the alcohol strength was reduced from 40% to 38%.
Vanilla dominates the aroma and flavour profile. Absolut Vanilia has the warm, creamy character of bourbon vanilla with notes of toffee, caramel and a touch of dark chocolate. The spirit is crystal clear, evoking vanilla ice cream and crushed black pepper, with delicate notes of bread and dark chocolate, while on the palate the vanilla combines with white and dark chocolate, subtle butterscotch, dark bread and a pronounced peppery, spirituous sharpness.
Thanks to its vanilla-caramel profile, it works well as a cocktail base. It can be used in the modern classic Passionstar Martini – with passion fruit purée, vanilla syrup and fresh pineapple – or more simply as Absolut Vanilia and cola, a two-ingredient highball built directly in the glass.