What is the history of Swedish vodka and how did it become popular?
Swedish vodka grew out of brannvin, the traditional Swedish distilled spirit. The best-known story is Lars Olsson Smith, who launched a very pure Absolut Rent Brannvin in 1879. The modern Absolut Vodka was relaunched in 1979 and became an international brand, then was bought by Pernod Ricard in 2008.
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In this article
Where does Swedish vodka come from?
Sweden’s traditional spirit is brannvin (literally burnt wine), the Swedish word for distilled spirits. We did not find a single documented moment when Swedish vodka began, and the claim in some pages that it dates to the Middle Ages is not one we could confirm. The best-documented chapter is the 19th century.
Lars Olsson Smith and 1879
Difford’s Guide says Lars Olsson Smith introduced a vodka he named Absolut Rent Brannvin, meaning absolutely pure vodka, in 1879. He used a column still to strip out nearly all congeners and produce a very pure spirit. He rose from a Stockholm dock worker to a powerful spirits seller, earning the title vodka king. To get around a state-backed producers’ cartel, he opened a shop outside the city limits and offered customers free ferry rides. Smith died in 1913.
The state monopoly
After Smith’s death, the brand was owned by the Swedish state liquor monopoly and had limited success.
The 1979 relaunch
For the brand’s centenary in 1979, Lars Lindmark of Vin & Sprit relaunched it in a bottle modeled on an old Swedish medicine bottle. The name was shortened to Absolut for US registration, and every bottle carries a silver medallion bearing Smith’s image.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1879 | Smith launches Absolut Rent Brannvin |
| 1913 | Smith dies |
| 1979 | Absolut relaunched for the brand’s centenary |
| 2008 | Pernod Ricard acquires the brand |
What to know when buying
Swedish vodka is made from grain or other sources depending on the brand; check the label. Absolut is one widely sold example, not a ranking. Other Swedish brands exist, but we did not verify them, so look at the producer’s website.
People also ask
Who created Absolut vodka?
Lars Olsson Smith introduced Absolut Rent Brannvin in 1879, per Difford's Guide. The modern brand was relaunched in 1979.
What does brannvin mean?
Burnt wine, the traditional Swedish word for distilled spirits.
Who owns Absolut now?
Pernod Ricard, which acquired the brand in 2008, according to Difford's Guide.
Sources
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