Ignited by the rediscovery of Andy Warhol’s rare ‘blue’ painting, Absolut Vodka has unveiled a striking limited edition bottle for 2024 in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The release is part of the ABSOLUT WARHOL campaign, which celebrates the original partnership between the premium Swedish vodka brand and the iconic pop art legend himself.
The bottle embraces Warhol’s distinctive style and artistic vision, using vibrant colours and striking contrasts that honour his original Absolut piece. Brought to life in true Warhol fashion, each colour on the bottle is extracted directly from the original painting, and a multi-layer screen printing technique is used to create a hand-painted texture making it not only a collector’s dream, but a real tribute to the quality, craftsmanship, and powerful expression that embodies the brand’s ethos.
Since its launch in 1979, the brand has been driven by its vision of blending art, culture, and spirit – a philosophy embodied in its ‘Born to Mix’ platform. Warhol himself recognised Absolut’s commitment to the transformative and uniting power of art, and in 1985, approached the brand directly to collaborate on artwork of Absolut’s iconic bottle silhouette. Rumours of a second Absolut painting circulated for years, and the claims remained unverified until ‘Absolut Blue’ resurfaced at auction in 2020 which inspired the campaign.
Absolut recognised the impact of cultural influencers early on. It has continued to collaborate with contemporary icons in the world of art, fashion, and lifestyle to foster creative dialogue with its audience in a forward thinking manner, much like it did with Warhol. Keith Haring, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Gianni Versace are just a few names in Absolut’s diverse portfolio, each weaving their unique narratives and adding their vibrant brushstrokes to the brand’s rich legacy.
In the art world, few collaborations capture the imagination like Absolut Warhol. The discovery of ‘Absolut Blue’ became the catalyst for Money on the Wall, an exhibition at Stockholm’s Spritmuseum celebrating Warhol’s work, influence on advertising and commercial art, and impact on the cultural space of his era. Showcasing everything from limited-edition bottles to unseen works, the exhibition offers a vivid glimpse into Warhol’s unique take on the intersections of art, branding, and economics of commercialism.
Absolut remains at the forefront of the global spirits market, and a permanent fixture in domestic drinks cupboards and bar shelves worldwide. Known for its meticulous crafting with only locally sourced Swedish winter wheat and pure well water, it offers a rich, full-bodied flavour profile that is equally as complex as it is smooth and mellow. The distinct grain character and dried fruit notes make it ideal to consume both on ice and in cocktails, the Warhol’s Milk Punch being our firm favourite. With over 100 million litres of vodka sold each year and an ever-growing cohort of Absolut collectors and staunch brand advocates, Absolut continues to cement its place as more than just a drink – it’s a cultural trailblazer that’s truly Born to Mix.
You can read more about ABSOLUT WARHOL and the 2024 limited edition Absolut Vodka here.