Absolut was established in 1879 in Ahus, Sweden by Lars Olsson Smith, the man who introduced fractional distillation to Sweden. The product was originally introduced under the name "Absolut Rent Brannvin" which translates as "Absolutely Pure Vodka", though the name Vodka would not come to be used in Sweden until 1958.
Rebranded as Absolut a hundred years later, the vodka continues to be produced in Ahus today, using the same continuous distillation method, high quality local water and winter wheat to ensure the taste will never change.
Absolut is well recognised for its bottles, which have featured artwork by a number of artists over the years, including Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Rosemarie Trockel and Damien Hirst. |