Absolut Wild Tea Review

If you’re a a cocktail enthusiast, you either absolutely love or absolutely hate the explosion of flavored vodkas that have hit the market in the past decade. File me under the “love it” column and a lot of that is in thanks to companies like Absolut vodka who stop at nothing to bring innovative and daring flavors to the market. In 2007, Absolut launched the innovative “City Series” Vodka line, a collection of flavored vodkas that were created in the essence of the city they were named after. While being able to dedicate a “local” flavor to a city they also found an intelligent way to test out new flavors before producing them nation wide. One of their more popular Vodkas from that line being Absolut Boston, Absolut has now re-released the popular Elderflower & Black Tea infused Vodka under the name Wild Tea. Now that we got the the history out of the way, lets open a bottle:

Aroma: First crack of the bottle lets out a rich aroma of tea. Though this flavor was inspired by the great city of Boston and their ties to the Boston Tea Party, the aroma actually reminds me of southern style tea. Sprinkled in with smell of tea is a bit of floral which comes from the elderflower.

Taste: After taking your first sip you will notice a heavy dose of black tea and that lingering flavor on the back end that you might not be familiar with is in fact the elderflower. In fact, the elderflower sticks around a bit more in my mouth then I would prefer but when mixed it loses some of that effect. I do like the vodkas ability to create the inspired flavor without overly sweetening the vodka which often happens when creating flavored vodka. In fact If you are into drinking your vodka “neat” or straight “on the rocks”, this might be perfect for you. It brings out the exact flavor of black tea without adding too much else and would go perfect in a glass with 3 ice cubes. If that’s not your style, realize that flavored teas are popping up everywhere in restaurant chains across the country, so finding a combination you like could be as easy as shopping in the fruit section at the grocery store and picking up your favorite fruit. The tea infusion here is great for enhancing your favorite mock-tail.

Price: 17.99 (avg)

Grade: B

Final Word: While Absolut’s newest addition to their flavored vodka portfolio may not be your “cup of tea”, it certainly is an interesting flavor that works well with several mixers. Absolut’s manages to bring us an innovative flavor AND another alternative to the “Tea Flavored Spirits” category that has exploded in the past 3 years thanks to “FireFly Sweet Tea Vodka”. If your looking for an everyday mixer then you might want to leave this one on the shelf, but if you’re feeling creative and want to impress your friends then give this one a try (They make minis for a reason!). Class Dismissed

A few recipes to help get you started:

Wild Tea Gimlet (Courtesy of AbsolutDrinks.com)

2 oz Absolut Wild Tea

3/4 oz of Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 oz of Simple Syrup

Pour each ingredient in a highball glass and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel

Pomegranates Gone Wild ( Created by The Professional Drinker)

2 oz Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

1 oz Absolut Wild Tea

3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Juice of Half a Lemon

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Strain into a Martini or Collins Glass. Garnish with a Lemon Wheel.

Wild Ginger Tea (Courtesy of AbsolutDrinks.com)

1 oz Wild Tea

2 oz Ginger Beer

3/4 oz Lime Juice (Or to taste)

Add ingredients in a highball glass and stir. Garnish with a Lime wedge.

Absolut Wild Tea sample was provided courtesy of representatives of Southern Wine & Spirits. Some recipes and photos were courtesy of AbsolutDrinks.com. If you would like to have your product(s) reviewed and advertised feel free to contact me at [email protected].

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