can't believe 't hasn't been rated here yet. ubiquitous and generic in the US, it's also rather nasty - very bitter, and moderately burning. tastes clean/crisp enough (unlike some others), so it gets 2 stars.
Reviewer: The Sandman

simply awful. blind tasted with other vodkas and this rated the worst. Wouldn't use in a bloody mary.
Reviewer: Pete Balistrieri

i should have known better. all money they spend on promoting this swill must be coming straight out of the product development coffers. i like many others in the same price range much much better. i wouldn't even buy this for my sister-in-law, whom i cannot stand. it gets a two for tasting only slightly better than a generic like monarch or gilbey's. the initial flavors are harsh, and the aroma is reminiscent of turpentine. i'm no expert, but if it makes me shudder after i swallow it, it goes in the trash.
Reviewer: natashka

Not really bad, an old 'status' Vodka from the 1980's. It's just there is new stuff around today that is less biting and less money. Can be a wee burning as it slides down- especially in a Martini. No hangover- Decent- but today there is a broader choice when this was the 'Vodka of the 80s Yuppie'
Reviewer: Peter

Harsh! I don't think that can describe how bad this stuff taste. I won't ever waste my money on this again!!
Reviewer: JW

Compared to Smirnoff it's great, but still harsh, especially after tasting 42below and ivan the terrible
Reviewer: Ben Cummins

I was in Stockholm on business recently. I asked a few Swedish people about Absolut and I was told that it was created specifically for the US market and it's actually kind of a joke in Sweden. I didn't know what good vodka was until I tried Chopin... I'm looking forward to trying other Polish potato vodkas like Luksosowa etc..
Reviewer: Jake

ok i guess, a little medicinal, a little thin, kinda watery, better than smirnoff, but barely
Reviewer: ian oliver

Far from smooth. I do not understand why this stuff is so populour in the states. Well they DO have a great ad campaign. But taste... no thank you.
Reviewer: Mike

I truly enjoyed this vodka. Much more appealing to me than Smirnoff is in my opinon. The after taste is not at all harsh, though it does smell like rubbing alcohol it is a wonderful vodka.
Reviewer: Ashlie

Worst Vodka yet, tastes like 100% pure rubbing alcohol.
Reviewer: shawn

the perfect party vodka, loads of flavours, inexpensive, available everywhere and although its not the greatest tasting vodka everyone will agree that we have all had a lot of fun on this stuff! a true classic in its own right!
Reviewer: dose

Garbage! I suppose if you were drinking this solely with the intent of getting drunk, with no regard for the taste, then it might be ok... Try Skyy. Skyy may be flat, but I'd rather have something with that tastes like watered down alcohol than something that tastes like this.
Reviewer: Zorb

Terrible. If I could give it a zero, I would. Harsh and tasteless.
Reviewer: Gavin

This vodka gave me the worst throbbing hangovers whenever I drank it. I thought that was natural for vodkas, given my lack of experience at the time; now I know differently. Taste is very harsh and burning with an oily consistency, though this becomes tolerant when mixed. Still, I'd rather avoid this if I can.
Reviewer: mal

SWILL! If Exxon or BP made a vodka, this would be it. An overwhelming acrid unpleasant taste that won't go away.
Reviewer: Campbell

The flagship from Sweden. Not the best Vodka on the planet but the best advertising, and the chicks love it. /A crazy swede
Reviewer: Viktor

i drink this all the time.i make a mixed drink using either sodas or ice tea, not to sophisticated, but it gives a good buzz.and Im drinking for a buzz, and I dont want to drink moonshine like smirnoff.it doesnt bite me, its not harsh or burning, and i dont get a hangover from it, so what more can i want.i serve friends drinks made with it, from fuzzynavels to screaming orgasms, and never a complaint about harshness and such, so i am giving it a 4. the drawback is price, close to 30 for a 1.75L, after reading many many reviews here, IM gonna try 'FRIS', it doesnt have a bad review fro over 25 reviewers.
Reviewer: jimsteve

I like the hint of charcoal in the straight vodka. Absout's flavored vodkas are more subtle than most.
Reviewer: Fred DuBose

Smooth & clean. There is a hint of aged spirits aroma, it adds sweetness and complexity to this vodka. Overall, it's nice vodka.
Reviewer: Husky

Not awful, but this vodka is highly, highly overpriced. There are so many better choices at this price.
Reviewer: peter

I tasted the Ruby Red mixed with tonic and thought it was quite good - if you like grapefruit. I normally prefer a good martini "up" w/ olives; however, this was a nice change - a nice drink for summertime.
Reviewer: Kris

Reviewer: John

new review, this stuff gives me a headache, a 2 stars at best.and costs too much, why do i have to pay for all their damn ads in the magazines. it is not better than Fris, read my Fris review [the 2nd one], its not better than finlandia either. its a tad better than smirnoff, but i wont drink that anyway, and i wouldnt drink this either.
Reviewer: jimsteve

Had the raspberry. Kickass bottle, no doubt. It's decent but a bit harsh. Obviously doesn't live up to hype, but it's better than aristocrat (but 10 bucks more).
Reviewer: Troy

overrated vodka, they should [psend less on advrtising and more on a quality product.not the worth thing going but there is way better for less money like wyborowa or banff ice or iceberg
Reviewer: jeremy s

The nose is somewhat complex and interesting in a pleasing way. Sraight up it has a burn on the gills and can light a fire in your rice bag, but on the rocks with a moment or two of ice melt this stuff delivers a complex and wheat based full flavored experience. Several hinting flavors, slight sweetness, good mineral water, wintery grains, mouth filling and not much aftertaste. A classic Vodka, a KNOWN bottle. Very clean on the body as well, no headaches here.
Reviewer: J

Not a bad vodka, middle of the road. A little too harsh to be drunk neat, but good with mixers such as tonic or lemonade. The flavoured versions are not bad either.
Reviewer: Mac

Certainly not a great vodka. It has bite and isn't the most smooth, but given the choice between this and Smirnoff I will turn to Absolut any day. On the plus side it is reasonably priced here in Canada and has never left me with a hang over.
Reviewer: Anorath_DHara

Remember when you were new to vodka and thought Absolut was a good vodka? Ha. Not sure why that is. Marketing more than anything I suppose. But certainly a subpar vodka for the money. There are way better vodkas for just a little more money. There are way better vodkas for just a little less. Mixing this vodka is tolerable as should be the case with most vodkas. But it adds nothing to the drink, other than a buzz. The harshness shines through. To drink straight would be ridiculous, as this is pretty harsh, with a substantial burn, and a bitter finish. Kind of like how I imagine nail polish would be. If it's all you have, I suppose I have sampled worse that came in plastic bottles and were procured from a small town gas station. Absolut gets by on its marketing and shiny bottle. Go with Ketel One for just a couple bucks more. A world of difference.
Reviewer: Mike W

Not as smooth compared to similarly priced offerings, but not too bad mixed with cranberry or ruby red. You can get better quality for less money(Sobieski as an example) so I don't regularly purchase it.
Reviewer: Jeff

tastes too generic and medicinal. great ad campaign but so-so vodka.
Reviewer: Maksim Markov

smells a bit harsh and is a bit harsh. nice bottle though/cap though. it's got a bit of smoothness in the middle that keeps if from being a train wreck, but has a nasty bite at the end. it's only a couple bucks more than smirinoff and to be fair, is worth it if it was just between those two. unfortunately there are plenty of good vodka's here in canada in the 26-30 mark, like Slava, Stoli, Musko (grain) or Luksusowa (potatoe) that blow it out of the water. it gets a 3 star rating for not being as pretentious as some.
Reviewer: EsocLucius

This tastes like old moldy bread thats been left in rubbing acohol
Reviewer: Dave

Sharp alchohol nose, sour olive and grape body, long rough finish. Personally, I do not consider the gap bettween quality of advertising and quality of product to be logical. If you must buy the household brand, stick with Smirnoff.
Reviewer: Christropher Home Cutler

A bright and refreshing winter wheat vodka, very pure and with exquisite smell and taste.
Reviewer: Bogdan Petculescu

Not expensive at all but still delivers a good clean taste in mixed drinks. One of my favorite
Reviewer: Aaron

I started drinking Absolut in the 80's to avoid hangovers & it's still working. Love the kick it gives to pineapple juice. Maybe other Vodka's are smoother but I still love that kick. Tried Ketel One & Grey Goose & am sticking with my fave.
Reviewer: Saradove

Barbara Mandrell had a great song in the 80s called "I was country when country wasnt cool" Well, when this swill debuted in the U.S, I was cool enough to already call it swill while all the other lemmings/sheeple masses fell for the marketing. It was (and still is unfortunatley) a severe case of the emperor has no clothes. If you like your rubbing alcohol on the rocks, here ya go.
Reviewer: Jim Stewart

I am in a hotel in Minneapolis and Absolute is complimentary vodka in the concierge lounge. I can't comprehend how this toilet water got a good reputation. If you haven't, try Svedka if available in your market. Less expensive than this crap and better than Goose or Ketel. Scores very high.
Reviewer: Munch

It's Absolut alright.....Absolut garbage! Just another vodka that is marketed ad nauseum, therefore everyone thinks it's popular and good. You will get THEE worst hangover of your life from this crap. A good vodka isn't supposed to produce a hangover of any kind. Every time I drink Ketel One or Belvedere, I don't get a hangover, but this stuff...I'm jacked up for the entire next day. No thanks!
Reviewer: Dan

Well, here's another case of PR. Yeah, its pretty much garbage if you're expecting much. The price is ridiculous, given that there are many start ups that would challenge. Absolut had its day when there wasn't much else on the shelf. If you find yourself reaching for it as an old stand by...perhaps its time to try something else?
Reviewer: Latimer

Not a good Vodka, and I don't understand why it's so popular, must be the marketing and the beautifull bottle. And it's expensive, I can get Russian Standard for the same price. I don't recommend it.
Reviewer: Arriflex

Good
Reviewer: alisha

Absolute is just average. I don't know why this is such a big seller. People need to sample some good vodkas. Even stoli doesn't compare to good vodka.
Reviewer: Maritimer

Have never been a fan...of ANY offering from Absolut. Guessing all the hype is due to the advertising.
Reviewer: Chuck

*sigh* Flashy adds and packaging DO NOT make up for this vodkas poor quality. But the popularity of this vodka shows that the masses can be brainwashed.
Reviewer: Mike Izmaylov

would buy it if it was the only Vodka available
Reviewer: Cyndi

Below average. Harsh and bitter taste.
Reviewer: Phil

Sorry but for the price this is sold for in the UK I don't find this vodka a pleasant drink or value for money. Gave 2 stars as it's drinkable. Just tastes like how I'd imagine watered down alcohol to taste. No smoothness, no actual noticeable taste, no richness or body. Marginally better than Smirnoff red label but imo that wouldn't be exactly difficult to achieve. Also made my stomach feel rough the day after eventho I'd only had a modest amount.
Reviewer: Nikki

For years i kept a bottle of absolut at my bar thinking i had a high quality product. Only after indulging in numerous brands for taste tests (16 unflavoured and 2 flavoured) did i realize what an inferior product Absolut is. Definitely not a vodka to drink straight or in a martini.
Reviewer: steve chelmicki

put a bottle in freezer it froze solid
Reviewer: r maddox

Poured room-temperature into a big ol' whiskey tumbler at a bar. The smell is hard to place. It's rich and silky, but also a little rancid, in a not-bad way - like day-old good butter. Sipped, I was surprised how tasty it was - it's a VERY clean, neutral flavor, with hints of orange candy on the nose and a small tinge of onion flower aftertaste. However, taken as a shot, I felt like I needed to call a doctor! I was in real, physical pain from how astoundingly angry, unpleasant, and astringent it went down - I had to chug water, not merely chase it, to even feel a small bit better. Afterwards, I noticed I was WAY more intoxicated than I usually am from the same amount of other vodkas, and had a rare bad hangover the next day. Never again! I gave it a medium score instead of an awful one because not only do other people I know like it quite a bit and feel fine afterwards, but this has happened to me with a few other vodkas that are produced on an industrial scale. Maybe my stomach's just as snobby as the rest of me! If you're stuck in rural Iowa and have to choose between this, UV, and Smirnoff, it's the way to go - but please, find something more dignified if you can!
Reviewer: Sam W.

Always, but always in the bottom 2 or 3 at blind tastings at our bar. Simply rubbish made for an undiscerning US market. Andy Warhol did a fine job making it famous though. Brilliant market campaigns, lousy product.
Reviewer: Rory Keegan

In my opinion, Absolute lives up to its name. It's not a great vodka by any means - it's boring compared to most Russian or Ukrainian or Finish vodkas. It's truly tasteless with an inoffensive texture. So, it's good as a kind of mixer if you want alcoholic punch and nothing more. Otherwise, there are many better vodkas with a lot more personality than this one.
Reviewer: Mark

I hate it. My complaint isn't so much that it burns (which it does, don't get me wrong) but more so that it just tastes terrible. Very bitter, and not in a good way. It's okay in some mixed drinks, I've uses it for White Russians, and when the kahlua and heavy cream overpower the Absolut Vodka it's okay.
Reviewer: Steve

it's good at nose, medium at palate. it shows some cherry characteristics smell at the nose; and shows relatively bitter taste and sharp aftertaste at tongue.
Reviewer: Okan

Pretty good and cheap. Smells like isopropyl alcohol and does not infiltrate the taste of mixer
Reviewer: MoYe_CF