1797 | Spirits, Sweden, $20 to $50

"ABSOLUT VODKA is made exclusively from natural ingredients, and unlike other vodkas, it doesn’t contain any added sugar. In fact ABSOLUT is as pure as vodka can be. Still, that purity has a certain taste: Rich, full-bodied and complex, yet smooth and mellow with a distinct character of grain, followed by a hint of dried fruit."

"Citron’s bouquet sings with fresh, vibrant, lemon zest right from the opening bell; the prototypical citrus-flavored vodka bouquet. Palate entry is so clean and effortless that you just want to consume more immediately; at midpalate, there’s a rush of lemon zest and oil. The distillers reached the ideal degree of flavor balance, without submerging the vodka presence." 90-95 pts.

"Clear. Intense, sweet clementine/tropical, perfumed aromas. Soft, rounded texture. Moderately lush and fruity mouthfeel gives way to a bold, mineral and grain accented palate."

"The opening perfume is extremely raspberry-like; aeration tones down the jammy intensity a little as the bouquet turns seed-like. The palate entry is fruity, mildly sweet, ripe and pleasant; at midpalate there’s a slight embers-on-the-tongue warmth that accompanies the ripe raspberry flavor. Ends comfortably fruity and acidic." 85-89 pts.

Perhaps the most famous liqueur of Scandanavia and called for in numerous classic cocktails. Made with sugar cane spirits from both the East and West Indies, it imparts a rich and full bodied palate of exceptional depth and complexity, having notes of rich toffee, smoke, leather and molasses. With origins as the drink of sailors in the Swedish East India Company, its still today a tradition with Artsoppa, the Swedish Pea Soup. Simply delicious on the rocks with a squeeze of lime, also famous in drinks such as the Doctor Cocktail, the Havana and the Waldorf.