NEW YORK, July 18, 2001 - ABSOLUT VODKA canvassed bartenders and waiters from some of the hottest hang-outs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami and Chicago to find out what's hip to sip for summer, 2001.  Following is a rundown of the coolest cocktails from coast-to-coast:

Signature Specialties

Without a doubt, one of the hottest drink trends is the signature martini.  As bars expand their martini menus, specialties like the Rockin' Moroccan (ABSOLUT, fresh lime juice, sugar water, fresh mint, topped with soda) from the new Chicago restaurant Mod or The Limey Martini (ABSOLUT, ABSOLUT CITRON, ABSOLUT MANDRIN, lime juice and Vermouth) from the popular Crown and Anchor Pub in Las Vegas, are taking center stage.

Even chefs are getting into the act -- for example, executive chef Fernando Lopata at New York's Town Restaurant offers a fresh blood orange, lemon and lime juice-based Blood Orange Cosmo to compliment the popular octopus and scallop dishes on their menu.

"The martini has become so popular lately that bars and restaurants are becoming trendsetters by coming up with unique recipes to call their own," said David Hjalmervik, manager of Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo restaurants at the Bellagio resort and casino in Las Vegas.  "We love using different flavored vodkas and tasty mixers to whip up fun and creative drinks for our menu."

Favor A Flavor

Flavored vodkas have become particularly popular in many of the hip hangouts surveyed in the five cities.  Nearly all of the bars and restaurants surveyed agreed that ABSOLUT MANDRIN is the most popular flavor, followed by ABSOLUT CITRON.  Creative bartenders like mixing flavored vodkas with fruit juices and other ingredients to concoct cocktails like the Purple Rain (ABSOLUT CITRON, sour mix and Chambord), a favorite from Soul Kitchen, a popular restaurant in Chicago that serves nouveau soul food.

And, more and more bartenders are starting to include fresh fruit -- the more exotic the better -- in their latest cocktail creations.  One to try -- the ABSOLUT Crush, a blend of ABSOLUT MANDRIN, fresh pineapple juice and lemon-lime soda, garnished with a pineapple wedge.

Classic Cocktails Continue to Please

According to the bars and restaurants surveyed, most agree that the standard vodka tonic is the most popular vodka drink requested amongst men, while women lean toward cosmopolitans.  For a classic cocktail with a twist, the Blue Bar in San Francisco mixes up the Aviator (fresh cherries in a vodka Collins).

The survey also showed that people continue to ask for ABSOLUT VODKA by name, because it ranks among the finest vodkas in the world in quality, purity, consistency and taste.  The reason -- the unique ABSOLUT One Source distilling method.

All ABSOLUT VODKA is distilled in Ahus, Sweden.  The Winter Wheat used to make ABSOLUT is grown in the fields surrounding the town, and the water comes from the company's own well in the area.  In accordance with more than 400 years of Swedish tradition, every bottle of ABSOLUT is produced, packaged and shipped from this One Source.  The ABSOLUT flavors are made by blending the vodka with only natural ingredients. ABSOLUT is the third largest international distilled spirit brand in the world and is marketed in 125 markets.  ABSOLUT is made at the distilleries near Ahus, Sweden.  The head office is in Stockholm.  Future Brands LLC, a joint venture between Jim Beam Brands and The Absolut Company, handles the distribution of ABSOLUT in the U.S.