Smirnoff
The world's best-selling vodka and the basis of the Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan and Espresso Martini. Everything about the types, the taste, how to drink it and the right glass.
From Moscow to the whole world: the best-known vodka there is
Smirnoff is a vodka that traces its origins to Pyotr Smirnov's distillery in Moscow, founded in 1864. After the Russian Revolution, the family took the recipe to the West; since the 1930s, Smirnoff has been made outside Russia and is now owned by Diageo. It has been the world's best-selling vodka for decades.
The standard bottle, Smirnoff No. 21 with the red label, is distilled three times and filtered ten times over charcoal. The result is a neutral, clean vodka at 37.5% that works in almost any cocktail. There is also a range of flavoured varieties and the ready-to-drink mixed beverage Smirnoff Ice.
In brief
What types of Smirnoff are there?
Smirnoff No. 21
The classic with the red label. Neutral, clean and smooth: the all-round cocktail vodka.
Smirnoff Vanilla
Vodka with soft, creamy vanilla. Surprisingly good in an Espresso Martini or with cola.
Smirnoff Raspberry Crush
Lighter and fruity, with juicy raspberry. Mix it with lemonade or soda and plenty of ice.
Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit
Mango and passion fruit in a light vodka. Made for summery long drinks.
Smirnoff Miami Peach
Coral-colored, with juicy peach. Delicious in a Woo Woo or simply with iced tea.
Smirnoff Ice
The classic mixed drink: vodka with lime, light and sparkling. Serve cold, ready to drink.
No. 21 is the right choice for every cocktail; the flavored varieties are for highballs.
Neutral, clean and smooth
Almost odorless
Good vodka is barely perceptible on the nose: at most, a little grain and a slight alcohol note.
Smooth and clean
Slightly sweet from the grain, smooth and without sharp edges. Exactly what you want from a cocktail vodka.
Short and dry
A short, clean warmth without an aftertaste, leaving plenty of room for the other ingredients in a cocktail.
Flavor profile of Smirnoff No. 21. The flavored varieties are sweeter and fruitier, while Smirnoff Ice is a light mixed drink.
Three ways to drink Smirnoff
Vodka is the most versatile cocktail base there is. Drink it neat ice-cold, or always mix it with plenty of ice.
Ice-cold as a shot
Keep the bottle in the freezer and pour 2 to 4 cl into a shot glass. Ice-cold, vodka is thick and smooth, as they drink it in Russia and Poland.
Glass: shot glass →Moscow Mule
50 ml Smirnoff, 15 ml lime juice and ginger beer in a copper mule mug filled with ice. The mug gets ice-cold, and you can taste it.
Go to the recipe →Highball
50 ml vodka with 150 ml orange juice (Screwdriver), tonic or cranberry juice in a highball glass with ice. Simple and always good.
Glass: highball glass →The best cocktails with Smirnoff
Moscow Mule
Vodka, lime and ginger beer in a copper mug. The cocktail that made Smirnoff big in America.
Cosmopolitan
Vodka, Cointreau, cranberry and lime in a martini glass. Pink, fresh and timeless.
Espresso Martini
Vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur, vigorously shaken into a creamy foam.
Sex on the Beach
Vodka, peach liqueur, orange and cranberry juice. Sweet, fruity and sunny.The right glass for Smirnoff
A copper mug for the Mule, a martini glass for the Cosmo, a coupe for the Espresso Martini and a highball glass for everything else. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Smirnoff
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