Line · 2009–2022 · 12 editions

Travel Retail Exclusive

Absolut Travel Retail Exclusive gathers the editions whose bottle carries that printed label, made to be sold only in duty-free shops. The label marks a line of its own rather than a market: bottles Absolut designed for travellers, often with something they could not find at home. Some are flavours, starting with Flavor of the Tropics, the first Absolut flavour created for duty free alone, or Raw, made by putting back the sharp cuts normally thrown away during distillation. Others are art projects, such as Johan Renck's photographs printed on glass for Exposure. Whatever lies behind it, the printed label is the common thread.

12 editions

Sydney #2 2022 · 1 variant A travel-retail paper wrap on Sydney Harbour at New Year, when the city sets off the first of the world's fireworks. The design, by NRG Agency, won the Talenthouse competition.
Together – Mint Hand 2020 · 1 variant The mint half of a duty-free pair drawn by the illustrator Kate Prior under the line “Together We Create Absolut”. 25,000 copies.
Together – Pink Hand 2020 · 1 variant The pink half of the travel-retail pair by Kate Prior, released as “Together We Create Absolut”. Its mint twin completes the set. 25,000 copies.
World 2018 · 1 variant A duty-free bottle drawn by the Swedish illustrator Kari Modén, whose decorative, high-colour style suits the brief exactly. It is about what holds people together across borders — love, peace, company — addressed to the one audience that is always crossing them.
Raw 2017 · 1 variant A travel-retail bottle built on a change of method. During distillation the spirit throws off sharp, highly aromatic notes — the cuts — that are normally discarded; here the master blender selects them by nose and puts them back in. The result is crisp and slightly edged, fruit at the front and a warm spicy finish, at 41.5%. Each bottle is wrapped in paper by hand in Åhus, and it was sold only through a handful of American airports: Miami, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego and Washington Dulles.
Honey 2015 · 2 variants A duty-free bottle addressed to the traveller in the most direct way possible — “Honey, I'm coming home” across a label in honeycomb tones. The vodka underneath is mellow golden honey, naturally flavoured, and the bottle was built as much for giving as for drinking.
Exposure #1 2013 · 1 variant The first of three Travel Retail bottles built around photography and illusion. Johan Renck — Swedish director, photographer and artist — shot the model and actress Lydia Hearst in three different personas and printed the photographs straight onto the glass, one persona per bottle. The flavour that came with them is honey melon and lemongrass. 100,000 of each.
Exposure #2 2013 · 1 variant The second Exposure, carrying its own of the three personas Johan Renck photographed on Lydia Hearst. Honey melon and lemongrass, in duty free, 100,000 copies.
Exposure #3 2013 · 1 variant The third and last Exposure, completing Johan Renck's set of printed personas. Like its two siblings it holds the honey melon and lemongrass flavour and was made for travel retail in 100,000 copies.
Gustafson 2012 · 3 variants A duty-free flavour that never made it to the shelves. Cherry, strawberry, cardamom and chai, in a bottle by the Swedish-born, New York-based artist Mats Gustafson, unveiled at TFWA Cannes and pulled almost immediately: Absolut judged that the intensity of the scent would put some drinkers off, and stopped the launch even though the product was safe and fully compliant.
Watkins 2011 · 2 variants A duty-free flavour built for people in transit: freshly ground coffee with almond, caramel and a warm chilli note behind it — rich and unusually sensual for a vodka. The Swedish fashion illustrator Liselotte Watkins, whose work has run for Miu Miu, Anna Sui and Barneys as well as Vogue and the New Yorker, drew the decoration. 500,000 copies.
Flavor Of The Tropics 2009 · 2 variants The first Absolut flavour created for duty free alone — mango, orange, lychee, pineapple and melon, sold where travellers could not find it at home. Williams Murray Hamm drew the graphics as a world map rendered in thermal-image colour, hot enough to stand in for the fruit.

2022

Sydney #2 1 variant A travel-retail paper wrap on Sydney Harbour at New Year, when the city sets off the first of the world's fireworks. The design, by NRG Agency, won the Talenthouse competition.
2020

Together – Mint Hand 1 variant The mint half of a duty-free pair drawn by the illustrator Kate Prior under the line “Together We Create Absolut”. 25,000 copies.

Together – Pink Hand 1 variant The pink half of the travel-retail pair by Kate Prior, released as “Together We Create Absolut”. Its mint twin completes the set. 25,000 copies.
2018

World 1 variant A duty-free bottle drawn by the Swedish illustrator Kari Modén, whose decorative, high-colour style suits the brief exactly. It is about what holds people together across borders — love, peace, company — addressed to the one audience that is always crossing them.
2017

Raw 1 variant A travel-retail bottle built on a change of method. During distillation the spirit throws off sharp, highly aromatic notes — the cuts — that are normally discarded; here the master blender selects them by nose and puts them back in. The result is crisp and slightly edged, fruit at the front and a warm spicy finish, at 41.5%. Each bottle is wrapped in paper by hand in Åhus, and it was sold only through a handful of American airports: Miami, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego and Washington Dulles.
2015

Honey 2 variants A duty-free bottle addressed to the traveller in the most direct way possible — “Honey, I'm coming home” across a label in honeycomb tones. The vodka underneath is mellow golden honey, naturally flavoured, and the bottle was built as much for giving as for drinking.
2013

Exposure #1 1 variant The first of three Travel Retail bottles built around photography and illusion. Johan Renck — Swedish director, photographer and artist — shot the model and actress Lydia Hearst in three different personas and printed the photographs straight onto the glass, one persona per bottle. The flavour that came with them is honey melon and lemongrass. 100,000 of each.

Exposure #2 1 variant The second Exposure, carrying its own of the three personas Johan Renck photographed on Lydia Hearst. Honey melon and lemongrass, in duty free, 100,000 copies.

Exposure #3 1 variant The third and last Exposure, completing Johan Renck's set of printed personas. Like its two siblings it holds the honey melon and lemongrass flavour and was made for travel retail in 100,000 copies.
2012

Gustafson 3 variants A duty-free flavour that never made it to the shelves. Cherry, strawberry, cardamom and chai, in a bottle by the Swedish-born, New York-based artist Mats Gustafson, unveiled at TFWA Cannes and pulled almost immediately: Absolut judged that the intensity of the scent would put some drinkers off, and stopped the launch even though the product was safe and fully compliant.
2011

Watkins 2 variants A duty-free flavour built for people in transit: freshly ground coffee with almond, caramel and a warm chilli note behind it — rich and unusually sensual for a vodka. The Swedish fashion illustrator Liselotte Watkins, whose work has run for Miu Miu, Anna Sui and Barneys as well as Vogue and the New Yorker, drew the decoration. 500,000 copies.
2009

Flavor Of The Tropics 2 variants The first Absolut flavour created for duty free alone — mango, orange, lychee, pineapple and melon, sold where travellers could not find it at home. Williams Murray Hamm drew the graphics as a world map rendered in thermal-image colour, hot enough to stand in for the fruit.

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Travel Retail Exclusive

12 editions

2022

2020

2018

2017

2015

2013

2012

2011

2009