Absolut and Tabasco join forces on ‘Absolut Tabasco’ Spicy Vodka

Absolut Vodka and the McIlhenny Company, makers of the Tabasco brand sauce, have announced the global launch of Absolut Tabasco in a move that blends two of the world’s most recognisable flavours.

The partnership arrives as consumer demand for heat-forward spirits reaches an all-time high. According to recent industry forecasts, sales of spicy vodka are projected to increase by 27% by 2029, driven by a younger demographic of “adventurous” flavour seekers.

For Absolut, the collaboration represents a strategic move to reclaim its position as the pioneer of flavoured spirits. Following the viral success of its 2024 partnership with Heinz for a vodka pasta sauce, Absolut sought a partner that could provide “authentic flavour credibility” rather than a synthetic heat.

“Collaboration is in the DNA of Absolut,” said Liam Murphy, marketing director for Pernod Ricard UK. “But collabs need to be more than just a nice bottle design; they need to provide a real value add. We are proud of this liquid; it’s like nothing else on the market.”

For the 150-year-old TABASCO® Brand, the partnership allows the Louisiana-based company to move “beyond the table” and into the high-growth “brunch and cocktail” occasion. Both brands share a unique production philosophy centred on just three core ingredients: Absolut’s winter wheat, water, and yeast, and Tabasco’s red peppers, salt, and vinegar.

The product is designed to solve a common problem for both home bartenders and professional mixologists: the inconsistency of manually adding hot sauce to spirits.

• Authentic liquid integration: unlike flavoured vodkas that use artificial chili extracts, Absolut Tabasco is crafted by fusing the vodka with a natural essence derived from the same fermented, aged red pepper mash used to make Tabasco sauce. It contains no added sugar and delivers a heat that “builds gently” on the lips
• Iconic bottle design: the packaging is a “mash-up” of the two brands’ identities. It maintains Absolut’s signature apothecary-shaped bottle but incorporates the red-and-green color palette and the famous diamond-shaped label associated with Tabasco sauce
• The “Spicy Serve” Standard: the drink is positioned as the definitive base for a Spicy Bloody Mary and a Spicy Lemonade. By including the heat directly in the spirit, the brands are simplifying the process of creating complex, fiery cocktails.

Absolut Tabasco (38% ABV) is rolling out to over 50 markets worldwide starting in February 2026. The launch is supported by a bold global campaign from Wieden+Kennedy London, which features dramatic visuals of Icelandic volcanoes erupting with Bloody Marys instead of lava, set to the iconic track “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed.

In the UK, the product will be available for pre-order on Amazon starting February 1, with a wider retail and bar launch scheduled for March.