Coming in Hot. Absolut® and Tabasco® Launch New Spicy Vodka

Absolut Vodka and TABASCO^® Brand are firing up the global spirits scene with the launch of a new spicy vodka, Absolut^® TABASCO^™. Launching from February 2026 onwards across 50+ markets, including the US and the UK, this bold innovation captures the heat that spirit drinkers worldwide crave.

Crafted by fusing Absolut Vodka with a unique and completely natural essence (there’s no added sugar) created from the fermented, aged red pepper mash used to make TABASCO^® Sauce – Absolut^® TABASCO^™ delivers the distinctive heat and aroma of the world’s most famous pepper sauce in the world’s leading premium vodkas.¹

The new TABASCO^®-Sauce-flavored vodka comes amid strong, growing demand for hotter flavors. People are craving heat now more than ever, with sales of spicy vodka forecast to increase 27 per cent by 2029.² Whether it’s the brunch staple, a Bloody Mary with bite or a Spicy Lemonade, which tingles, Absolut^® TABASCO^™ is for them – a smooth-tasting vodka with a heat that builds to leave a warm feeling on the lips with every sip.

The Absolut^® TABASCO^™ collaboration unites two titans of flavors, each with more than a century of history and a legacy of authenticity and quality. 

Founded in 1868 on Avery Island, Louisiana, where it is still produced today, TABASCO^® Sauce uses just three ingredients: handpicked red peppers, salt, and vinegar. Once mashed together, the red pepper mix is aged and fermented in reclaimed oak barrels for up to three years, creating the sauce’s subtle, unique flavor. 

Absolut Vodka is also made using just three natural ingredients – pristine water sourced from a local deep well, a proprietary strain of yeast and winter wheat grown on nearby farms. This premium vodka is only distilled in the small town of Åhus in Southern Sweden, using the same continuous distillation process introduced by its Swedish founder, L.O. Smith, in the 1870s.

The brands’ rich heritages come together through the design of the Absolut^® TABASCO™ Vodka bottle. It seamlessly blends their iconic bottles into one; the bottle’s colours and diamond label shout TABASCO^® Sauce, but the apothecary-inspired shape is unmistakably Absolut Vodka.

Craig van Niekerk, Global VP of Marketing for Absolut Vodka, says: “At Absolut Vodka, we have never been afraid to do things differently or create something bold – and now, we are at it again. People want to feel some heat in their drinks. What better way to do it than by combining one of the world’s leading hot sauce brands with the world’s leading premium vodka brand? For anyone who wants to dial up the heat, whether it’s Saturday night cocktails or Sunday brunch, this spicy vodka is definitely for you.”

Christian Brown, Head of Agriculture and 6^th generation family member, McIlhenny Company, makers of TABASCO^® Brand product, says: “With more than 150 years of pepper expertise, it only made sense for us at TABASCO^® to partner with Absolut Vodka, another brand with a long, storied history that understands and cares about the craft that goes into its product. TABASCO^® exists to light up everything we touch and the powerful blending of these two iconic liquids (and unforgettable bottles) is long overdue!”

Kate Neuhaus, Director of Global Marketing Communications at McIlhenny Company, says: “We are thrilled to bring the unique flavor of TABASCO^® Sauce to Absolut’s smooth premium vodka. We share a rich heritage and a commitment to quality – and this new partnership is a testament to both. It’s the perfect match. Absolut^® TABASCO^™ is the purest form of heat ever bottled for adventurous flavor lovers everywhere.”

ABSOLUT^® TABASCO^™ (38% ABV) will launch across 50+ markets worldwide from February 2026. Inspired by Absolut Vodka’s legendary print ads, the launch campaign will turn up the heat to leave no doubt that the new flavor will fire up cocktails worldwide.

Notes to editors

About the bottle

Absolut lends its unmistakable silhouette as the canvas, elevated by a crisp white logotype that anchors the design in its pure Scandinavian roots. At the same time, TABASCO^® brings its distinctive diamond symbol to the bottle. At the heart of the bottle, the signature Absolut brushstroke was re-imagined through TABASCO^® Brand’s screen-printed diamond logo, magnified through the glass to create a vivid interplay between both design worlds. The result is a striking visual fusion: the white Absolut logotype and the TABASCO^® diamond standing proud, framed by its classic red, green colours and crystal clarity. The design aims to keep every key element of both brands intact and push their expressions into new territory – a meeting of heritage and creativity to form the perfect spicy edition bottle.

Simple Serves

Spicy Bloody Mary

Rim a highball glass with Cajun spice – because flavor starts at the edge. In a shaker, mix ABSOLUT^® TABASCO™, tomato juice, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add ice, roll it smooth and strain into your spiced glass over fresh ice cubes. Garnish with lemon, red chillies and a bright parsley sprig. 

Spicy Lemonade

Rim a highball glass with Cajun seasoning and fill with ice. Add ABSOLUT^® TABASCO^™, top it up with your favourite fresh lemonade and garnish with a lemon wheel.