Absolut Citron

Nose: Delicate lemon aroma – not like zest or juice, more like the smell of lemon gelato. Palate: Sweet with a very mild lemon arrival and you definitely taste that characteristic ethanol “vanilla” character. The lemon flavour is demure and does not cover the alcohol but it is not too faint either. The texture is good, creamy and smooth, but not quite as full as the texture of their Lime vodka. Finish: Very short. Hardly anything other than sweetish ethanol, but absolutely no off-notes. I wasn’t planning to taste the rest of the vodkas in my 4-pack of Absolut tasters today but the Lime flavour made such a good impression I had to explore further. This is very pleasant neat, refreshing and disarmingly easy to drink over ice, and delightful with a spot of tonic. I’m sure it also works well in cocktails and would probably team very well with Coke for those who don’t like their soft drink polluted with “brown liquor” flavours. I bet it also has an affinity for rum and Tiki drinks. There’s not much more to add. It’s palatable and there is nothing to criticize. I’m rating this a fraction lower than Lime Absolut as I felt that spirit had a little more presence and verve, but if you prefer a more subtle profile you could justifiably reverse the two scores. Tasted from a 50ml retail sample. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

The orange blossom on the nose hits before the main taste of lemon. Not too sweet, and you still get the taste of wheat vodka at the end. I don’t drink flavored vodkas very much, but this one is fine to sip by itself and would probably be good with tonic or soda water.