Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, Skåne, in southern Sweden. Absolut is owned by French group Pernod Ricard; they bought Absolut for 5.63 billion Euros in 2008 from the Swedish state.  Absolut is the third largest brand of alcoholic spirits in the world after Bacardi and Smirnoff, and is sold in 126 countries.