Absolut vodka is nothing more then flashy advertising and great marketing. Absolut is probably the best-marketed vodka and maybe even liquor (Toss up between Absolut and the Captain.) When your growing up and hitting high school, the first liquors you know are Jack Daniel's and Absolut. That, unfortunately is why Absolut ends up being so popular, its all some people know in the very large world of vodka. Absolut cannot touch Grey Goose, Kettle One, Stoli, Smirnoff, or any of the other big names in vodka.
As far as sipping vodka, it really cannot touch any of those names. Absolut delivers a very crisp taste while it burns on the way down. The taste isnt one that is clean tasting to the pallet, unlike a Grey Goose or Kettle One. It has an odd taste compared to other vodka's that sets it apart. Absolut is ok, but it does its best work in mixers and even then doesn't stand out. Id even venture to bet that most people could not tell the difference between chilled Absolut and a chilled shot of eight-dollar vodka. One recipe that I will recommend as a personal favorite is a Starburst shot. 1/3 each of Absolut Mandarin, Citron, and Kurant. Excellent.
The bottom line is Absolut is still just riding its name, signature bottle style, and catchy advertisements as it has for the last 25 years. If your going to spend 25 dollars for a bottle of vodka/flavored vodka, you might want to look elsewhere. You can buy Stoli for around the same price or Smirnoff. Smirnoff has the best quality for price ratio, at about 7 or more dollars less. Both Stoli and Smirnoff offer more flavors and a more refined vodka taste. Absolut is ok, but it does it's best work in mixers and even then, doesn't stand out. There is a reason that it is beaten out year after year in taste tests of the finest vodkas around the country.
This Swedish Vodka is now the number one selling vodka in the world. It was introduced in 1879 as an absolutely pure vodka using a new distillation pr...More at Napacabs.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.