Heritage & Distillery
Absolut Raspberri joins the brand's extensive flavoured portfolio with a raspberry expression that makes no attempt at subtlety. The raspberry flavouring is intense and forthright — this is a vodka designed for cocktails and long drinks, and it approaches that brief with considerable enthusiasm if not great nuance.
Production & Tasting
On the nose, the raspberry is intense and immediately recognisable — ripe berry fruit, berry jam, and red fruit sweetness dominate, with the clean Absolut wheat base providing a distant foundation. There is little complexity here, but the raspberry character is authentically fruity rather than obviously synthetic, and that distinction counts for something in a crowded market.
The palate is bold and fruit-forward, with ripe raspberry as the commanding flavour note, a touch of tartness providing welcome counterpoint to the sweetness, and the smooth wheat base adding just enough structure to remind one that this is, technically, a vodka. At 38% ABV, the reduced strength suits the sweet, fruity profile. The finish is medium, with raspberry lingering before a fresh, fruity close.
Verdict
Absolut Raspberri does exactly what it sets out to do — deliver intense, recognisable raspberry flavour in a vodka format suitable for cocktails and long drinks. It is not a spirit for contemplative sipping, and it lacks the subtlety of the best flavoured vodkas, but as an ingredient in a Raspberry Collins or a fruity Martini variation, it serves its purpose well. Fairly priced at £23.75.
