Smirnoff Black Small Batch No. 55 Triple Distilled Premium Vodka 40%

The red label is built to disappear into the drink. The black one is built to do the opposite. Same house, same Scottish distillery, but two entirely different ideas about what a vodka is supposed to do. The black one is the bottle that dares to have an opinion.

Expert description

Smirnoff Black Small Batch No. 55 Triple Distilled Premium Vodka is a British Vodka made from wheat and bottled at 40%.

Diageo launched Smirnoff Black in the United States in 1995 and in Britain two years later. The very first bottles were distilled and bottled in Moscow, but production moved to Scotland shortly afterwards and has stayed there since. The packaging was redrawn in 2006 and again in 2008.

The difference between black and red comes down to how much gets taken out along the way. The red is cleaned ten times through charcoal until there is barely anything left to grip. The black gets a single pass after a turn through copper, and the grain character is allowed to stay. That makes a heavier, creamier vodka you can drink neat without feeling short-changed.

Tasting notes

Nose

Round and nutty. Toasted bran, a touch of aniseed and something sweet in the direction of marzipan.

Palate

Full and soft. Creamy nut character and a dry grain sweetness that sits around longer than you would expect from a vodka.

Finish

Spiced and warm. Liquorice root and pepper in equal measure, with a dry grain note right at the end.

Specifications

Name: Smirnoff Black Small Batch No. 55 Triple Distilled Premium Vodka
Producer: Smirnoff
Region/Country: Scotland, United Kingdom
Type: British Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Triple distilled and redistilled in a copper pot still
EAN no.: 5410316265164
Serving suggestion: Neat over a single large ice cube, or in a Vodka Martini without too much vermouth.

Flavour profile

Full-bodied · Creamy · Nutty · Grain-driven

Did you know?

The charcoal is not the same as in the red bottle. Smirnoff Black is filtered through Siberian silver birch charcoal, and only once. The choice was made to clean the spirit without stripping out the grain character the whole black label is built on.

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Frequently asked questions about Smirnoff Black Small Batch No. 55 Triple Distilled Premium Vodka

Can Smirnoff Black be drunk neat?

Yes, and that is where it shows most. The texture is clearly heavier than the red bottle, and there is enough nut and grain character to keep the glass interesting. Serve it cool rather than ice cold so the body does not close down.

What does Small Batch mean on this label?

That the runs are kept small. The words first appeared on the bottle in 2008 and refer to the spirit being finished in a pot still in volumes the still can actually handle. The term is not legally protected, but here it reflects a real difference in process.

How does it behave in cocktails?

It takes up more room than a neutral vodka, and you have to allow for that. In a Martini or a Vesper this is an advantage, since the vodka can still be tasted. In a Cosmopolitan or an Espresso Martini the nuttiness easily collides with everything else.

Which glass suits it best?

A small glass with a tapered rim, so a tulip or a small brandy glass. The shape gathers the heavier aromatics that otherwise escape over the edge of a straight shot glass. Fill only a third so you have room to swirl.

What should I serve alongside it?

Something fatty and salty. Smoked salmon, cured trout, caviar or a bowl of salted nuts all sit well against the creamy texture. It can also close a meal in place of a schnapps if the food has been rich.

How should I store the bottle?

Upright, dark and cool, but not permanently in the freezer. Cold mutes exactly the nutty and spiced notes you bought the bottle for. An hour in the fridge before serving is plenty.

Who makes Smirnoff Black?

Diageo, at Cameronbridge in Fife, Scotland. It is a large grain distillery, also home to European Smirnoff Red and to the pot still itself. The rest of the shelf sits under Vodka.