In 30 years Absolut Vodka has gained iconic status thanks to its originality and non-conformism. In 1879 Lars Olsson Smith introduced an unusual kind of vodka using revolutionary distillation method: rectification. The Absolut brand was created in 1979 to promote the exportation of Swedish vodka to the United States. The choice of a medicine bottle with its transparent label, free of any Slavic imagery broke away from the conventional market codes at that time. This risky gamble proved to be a tremendous success; in 2009 Absolut vodka was ranked the fourth best spirit brand in the world, across all categories.