Absolut unveils a new vodka inspired by the city of New Orleans, and supports area non-profit organizations at the same time.
In the late 1980’s, Absolut created memorable ad campaigns, Absolut Cities and Absolut Cities of Europe. The ads featured their iconic bottle shape found in everyday sights, designed to evoke the feeling and spirit of the cities depicted.
Now, Absolut has revived the cities concept, but taken it a step further, creating a line of infused vodkas inspired by and named after American cities. The first in the limited-edition series was unveiled in New Orleans on July 18 at the Tales of the Cocktail festival, and will go on sale August 1.
Absolut New Orleans offers a unique flavor combination – sweet, juicy mango with a contrasting kick of black pepper. It sounds unusual, but unique has always described New Orleans, and the combination of sweet, smooth and spicy also fits the bill. The bottle itself pays tribute to New Orleans’ musical heritage with a picture of a brass harmonica bearing the name “L.O. Smith Trio,” a tongue-in-cheek salute to Absolut’s founder, Lars Olsson Smith.
But with New Orleans, Absolut is not just releasing a new vodka flavor or running a nifty ad campaign. 100% of profits from Absolut New Orleans will be donated to charities along the Gulf Coast, in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, with a minimum $2 million contribution. Organizations that will benefit include Habitat for Humanity, Hands on Gulf Coast, Tipitina’s Foundation, and Volunteer Mobile. A variety of projects will receive funding, including five new Habitat homes in New Orleans, as well as a concert series highlighting local talent in New Orleans.
An interesting flavor combination as well as benefiting rebuilding efforts in the Gulf? It sounds like two great reasons to try a bottle, and Absolut expects it to sell out by November. If taste and charity alone aren’t enough to persuade you, there are even a couple of recipes to try!
Absolut Big Breezy
- 2 parts Absolut New Orleans vodka
- ½ part simple syrup
- 4-5 chunks of watermelon
- Dash finely grated black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon
Muddle watermelon, lemon juice, pepper and simple syrup. Add Absolut New Orleans. Shake and strain into cocktail glass.
Absolut Rebuilder
- 2 parts Absolut New Orleans vodka
- 1 part pineapple juice
- 1 part orange juice
Combine all ingredients. Shake and pour into cocktail glass.
Or if these don't strike your fancy, here's some more cocktail recipes making use of Absolut New Orleans.
