Review: Absolut Tabasco Vodka Might Just Be Your New Bloody Mary Go-To

Adventurousness is nothing new for the Absolut Vodka brand. In 2020, for example, Absolut joined a list of booze companies that made hand sanitizer. Its lineup of flavored vodkas, meanwhile, ranges from staples like vanilla and peach, to bespoke formulas like its black pepper-flavored Absolut Peppar, or Absolut Rainbow — an LGBTQ+ pride product with a flavor advertised as equal parts caramel, vanilla, and fruit. Absolut even produces its own line of hard seltzers, capitalizing on the trend of drinking at bars not being so cool anymore among younger consumers, many of whom enjoy low-calorie canned drinks at home.

In January of 2026, Absolut debuted what may well be one of the most adventurous products in the company's history: Absolut Tabasco, a hot sauce-flavored vodka made in official collaboration with the Tabasco hot sauce brand. I received a bottle of Absolut Tabasco and was able to try it myself. Ahead is a brief rundown of Absolut Tabasco's whole deal, before my own analysis and review of this undoubtedly bold experiment in brand synergy.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I received a bottle of Absolut Tabasco courtesy of the Absolut Vodka brand. My opinions were not shaped by the fact the company sent the product directly to me — I was under no obligation other than to receive and honestly review the product, so all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

To taste and assess Absolut Tabasco, I began by pouring a generous serving into a standard rocks glass. I started with a tiny sip, both for the sake of establishing an initial impression and to give my taste buds a sense of what to expect. For what it's worth, I drink straight whisky, sometimes up to 60%+ ABV, on a regular basis, so my palette wasn't shocked by the straight vodka. Nevertheless, when tasting alcohol, I think it's worthwhile to start slow. Then I had a few more regular-sized sips, some neat and some on ice. Finally, I combined what remained with some Strawberry Peach La Croix, since that was the one suitable mixer I already had on hand, to get a sense of what it contributes to a mixed drink.

Sweden is the country that exports the most vodka in the world, and Sweden's Absolut Vodka is the second-best-selling vodka brand in the world. There's an argument to be made, meanwhile, that Tabasco is the ideal hot sauce. Absolut Tabasco, then, is a collaboration between a vodka powerhouse and one of the hot sauce industry's leaders, pairing an iconic spirit with a flavor instantly recognizable to connoisseurs of spice.

Functionally, Absolut Tabasco is Absolut's wheat-derived vodka combined with an approximation of Tabasco hot sauce. Both aged chili pepper and the vinegar tang that are integral to the signature Tabasco flavor are present in Absolut Tabasco. The price of a 750-milliliter Absolut Tabasco bottle will vary depending on where it's purchased, but most retail outlets sell it between $15 and $20. Advertised prominently on each bottle is the fact that it's gluten free. Its ABV content is 38%.

The Absolut Vodka website lists three ideas for cocktails and one idea for a shot utilizing Absolut Tabasco. First and foremost is, of course, a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary is one of the 14 best cocktails for vodka fans, and its standard list of ingredients already includes Tabasco. Absolut recommends combining Absolut Tabasco with tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Of course, that's just a baseline Bloody Mary — any and all twists on the drink will likely benefit from the addition of Absolut Tabasco as well.

Other cocktails Absolut recommends include a faux-margarita, a spicy lemonade, and a Bloody Mary shot. That latter simply pairs a shot glass of Absolut Vodka with salt and a cherry tomato. With that said, the versatility of Absolut Tabasco depends entirely on its consumer's tolerance for spice in an alcoholic drink. The Grape Ape, the unsung legend of Minneapolis, traditionally combines Absolut Citron, sour mix, and grape soda. 

Subbing in Absolut Tabasco might make for an even stranger version of an already left-of-center idea, but mixing pretty much anything with a hot sauce-flavored vodka is going to be at least a little weird. It could be a disaster, or it could be your new "hear me out" cocktail. So, start with a Bloody Mary or a spicy vodka margarita, but don't be afraid to push things a little further and see what other drinks might benefit from some added heat.

My first sip of Absolut Tabasco shocked me because of just how closely it tasted like swigging straight Tabasco hot sauce. I guess I was the fool for not expecting a Tabasco-flavored vodka would deliver on the exact experience it advertises, but it did its job so aptly that I was surprised all the same.

Because of just how closely Absolut Tabasco tastes like actual Tabasco, it's pretty dang spicy on its own. Both the vinegar tang and the pepper flavor of Tabasco are there in droves. I'd imagine most vodka drinkers aren't sipping straight flavored vodka, but as a shot, it will pack a serious punch, even despite its moderate ABV. 

When I tried it on ice and mixed with Strawberry Peach La Croix, that distinct Tabasco flavor was noticeably dulled. However, a general sort of spiciness was still very apparent. So, with minimal interference, Absolut Tabasco is almost like straight up Tabasco sauce with alcohol content. In a mixed drink, its flavor isn't quite as identifiable, but it contributes plenty of heat all the same.

Absolut Tabasco isn't for everyone, but those who likely won't enjoy it should already know that's the case ahead of time. For what it's worth, I include myself in that category — I avoid spice in alcoholic drinks as a rule, to the point that even, say a Mexican chocolate stout beer is a no-go for me. Even if I wouldn't pick it out for my own amusement, I appreciate that Absolut Vodka managed to distill the precise essence of Tabasco hot sauce into an alcoholic drink. Anyone to whom that notion sounds exciting will find that Absolut Tabasco delivers in all the ways it's supposed to.

There are probably two primary ways most people will enjoy Absolut Tabasco. First off, a Bloody Mary, more than any other preparation, seem like its ideal venue. I didn't have any Bloody Mary mix or ingredients on-hand to try it myself, but to an already unique drink, a vodka that tastes like Tabasco adds some inherent intrigue. 

Secondly, there are those to whom Absolut Tabasco is inherently a novelty. As either a fiery shot or a means to add some unlikely kick to a mixed drink, Absolut Tabasco does indeed pack some serious heat. Anyone put off by the very notion of Absolut Vodka won't be converted after trying it, but those thrilled to any degree by the idea of a hot sauce vodka will find that Absolut Tabasco genuinely satisfies.