The Absolut Company (Destilleriet i Åhus)

Like so much about Elyx, this vodka’s green credentials start with Absolut Vodka, Sweden's most exported agricultural product, because the base spirit for Elyx is made in the same distillery where Absolut Vodka is made. This distillery is one of the world's most energy efficient with ISO 14001 (the international standard for environmental management systems).

Everything used to make Elyx comes from within a 25 kilometre (15 mile) radius of the distillery with the grain used all coming from the Råbelöf Estate where Absolut works with Erik Baeksted, the estate’s very hands-on manager to ensure only minimal amounts of fertilizer and pesticide are used. The crop is grown without irrigation so conserving water.

The high quality wheat used to produce the spirit is also the main by-product from production, in the form of wheat stillage. This is sold to local farmers as “Wheat Drank”, a high protein feed mainly fed to cattle and pigs.

The whole distillation process is carbon neural. LPG gas is used to start distillation (made up for by planting trees) with the rest of distillation being carbon neutral due to a state-of-the-art heat recovery system with the stills connected to a steam compressor. Importantly, the Absolut Company only purchases green electricity generated by hydro power.

All the water used in production is drawn from private sources and work is ongoing to make this a closed cycle system to reduce the vodka’s water footprint. The brand strives to not just save water but also to give at least 100,000 people around the world access to clean water who presently don’t have this. Working with Water For People, every bottle of Elyx sold in the United States and Great Britain gives a person access to clean water for a week.

Even the bottles in which Elyx is packaged are sourced close to the distillery and are made from 50% recycled glass.

To quote Jonas Tåhlin, brand director, “We strive to make Absolut Elyx a brand that can be enjoyed with integrity. It is a philanthropic vodka.”