Accelerating development
Flavour development projects can often take up to two years. In this case, the ABSOLUT TABACO collaboration moved from concept to finished product in around six months.
To accelerate the process, flavour specialists from IFF worked closely with Pernod Ricard’s sensory experts, Rico Dynan and NPD teams. Rather than separating flavour creation and drink development, both happened in parallel.
As the team explored more than sixty flavour variations, each iteration was tested directly in cocktails. This allowed them to refine the profile based on how it actually performed behind the bar.
Working side by side in real time meant they could test, adjust, and evolve both the liquid and the serves simultaneously, significantly speeding up development while keeping a clear focus on drinkability.
Designing drinks for the bar world
From the very beginning, the vodka was developed with cocktails in mind.
Each sample was evaluated across a range of serves, including Bloody Marys, spicy lemonades, highballs, and juice-based combinations. This ensured the final liquid worked naturally in real bar settings.
“We don’t sell vodka, we sell drinks. If the product doesn’t work in cocktails, it doesn’t work.”
