Sparkler

The Sparkler – also known as the Absolut Sparkler – is a built cocktail made with Absolut Vodka, sweetened cranberry juice, blue curaçao and lemon-lime soda, served in a highball glass filled with ice and garnished with a lime wedge.

It’s the layering technique that makes the Sparkler what it is – each ingredient carefully poured over the back of a bar spoon to create distinct layers of color in the glass. Pour too fast and the layers blend together. Take your time and the result is something worth looking at and savoring.

Sweet, citrusy and lightly effervescent. The cranberry juice brings a tart, fruity sweetness, balanced by the orange citrus character of the blue curaçao and the clean, smooth base of Absolut Vodka. The lemon-lime soda adds a crisp, bubbly finish that lifts the whole drink. The lime wedge garnish adds a final zesty note that ties everything together.

The Sparkler – also referred to as the Absolut Sparkler – has no documented origin story, though its close association with the Absolut Vodka name suggests it may well be an original Absolut creation. For a drink this visually striking, that feels like an oversight worth correcting.

• Pour slowly
  The layering technique requires patience. Pour each ingredient slowly over the back of a bar spoon to keep the layers distinct. The slower you pour, the more defined the gradient.
• Use a chilled glass
  A cold highball glass helps keep the layers separate for longer. Place your glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Add the soda last
  Always add the lemon-lime soda last – it’s the lightest ingredient and will naturally sit on top, preserving the carbonation and the layered effect.
• Don’t stir
  The whole point of the Sparkler is the layered gradient – stirring will blend the colors together and turn it into a very different drink. Let the guest stir if they prefer, but serve it layered.

• Try it with Absolut Lime
  Swap Absolut Vodka for Absolut Lime and the citrus-forward lime character amplifies the lemon-lime soda.
• Try it with Absolut Citron
  The lemon character of Absolut Citron works naturally alongside the blue curaçao and lemon-lime soda for a more citrus-forward version of the drink.
• Swap the cranberry for pineapple juice
  Replace the cranberry juice with pineapple juice for a more tropical version. The sweetness of the pineapple works well with the blue curaçao and gives the drink an almost tiki-inspired character.
• Try it with ginger ale
  Swap the lemon-lime soda for ginger ale for a slightly spicier, less sweet finish that changes the character of the drink considerably.
• Add a splash of grenadine
  Add a bar spoon (approx. 5 ml) of grenadine into the bottom of the glass before adding the ice for an additional layer of deep red that makes the gradient even more dramatic.

The Sparkler is one of the most eye-catching built cocktails around, so you don’t want to draw attention away from those layers.

• Glassware
  A highball glass filled with ice cubes. A Highball is tall enough to show off the layered gradient and give the lemon-lime soda room to fizz.
• Lime wedge
  A lime wedge on the rim adds a zesty citrus note that complements the lemon-lime soda and blue curaçao in the drink.