Absolut Mexico: Honoring Mexico’s Ancient Culture and Heritage

For decades, Absolut has long been recognized for its creative collaborations, including teaming up with artists around the globe to create limited edition bottles.

One of our most popular collaborations have been those where we celebrate different cities and countries, highlighting their unique culture and rich multiculturalism. With every limited-edition bottle release, our goal is to capture the essence of each city or country by collaborating with local artists.

In the post, we enter the Mayan temples to revisit Absolut Mexico.

The Celebration of Culture

Absolut Mexico was a limited-edition vodka bottle in collaboration with Mexican contemporary artist and tattooist, Jeronimo Lopez Ramirez (aka Dr Lakra). The bottle was released in 2013.

Absolut Mexico paid homage to Mexican culture and the country’s multicultural heritage. It’s said that over 60 different indigenous groups exist in Mexico today, many of which maintain their own languages. These groups are said to make up 10-30% of Mexico’s population today. Among the most influential and celebrated is the Mayan culture.

The influence of the Maya civilization on modern Mexico is visible in various aspects of modern life, including art, agriculture, social structures, and more. Flourishing in Mesoamerica from around 2000 BCE until the Spanish arrival in the 15th century, the Maya civilization has significantly shaped contemporary Mexico’s identity and heritage.

Artistic Vision for Absolut Mexico

For the Absolut Mexico limited edition vodka bottle, Dr. Lakra brought the spirit of Mexico to life with his striking artwork.

The design for the bottle featured three fundamental symbols of Mayan culture: the god Hurakan, representing wind, storm, and fire; Kukulkan, the feathered serpent deity; and Balam, the invincible jaguar warrior who illuminated the Earth during the day and fought in the underworld at night.

In this video, Dr Lakra elaborates about these Mayan figures. “Something that has prevailed in all pre-Hispanic cultures was the cult of Quetzalcoatl. Everyone spoke about this powerful, feathered serpent. The Mayans referred to Quetzalcoatl as Kukulkan,” he says.

“The jaguar has always been the serpent’s counterpart, sort of like good and evil. The jaguar was called Balam. Another element that was very important to include was the hurricane. So, it was really important to me to include the clouds, thunder, rain, and includes all these elements on the bottle.”

The Past meets the Future

Absolut Mexico allowed Dr. Lakra to bring Mexico’s rich historic past into the present, bridging the gap between ancient heritage and contemporary artistry.

Blending history with modernity has always fascinated Dr. Lakra. “My work incorporates many old and antique elements, but at the same time, I am using what already exists. I’m adding a ‘comment,’ transforming that thing into something else.”

This was certainly the case with Absolut Mexico – a perfect fusion of past and present.

Want to learn more about our Absolut Mexico limited-edition vodka bottle? Discover Absolut Mexico