Absolut Vodka’s roots go back to the late 19th century Sweden, when Lars Olsson Smith began using continuous distillation to create his spirit. The name Absolut Vodka was introduced in 1979, though Smith’s portrait still appears on their distinctive bottles even today. About those bottles, by the way - the shape of the bottle was inspired by old-fashioned medicine flasks, and over the years the label has seen many vibrant iterations, though often sticking somewhat close to themes set by the classic Absolut Blue label. The vodka is made from winter wheat grown in Southern Sweden, near Åhus, which is also where the deep well that they draw their water from is located.