Smirnoff Copper Pot Still No. 55 Triple Distilled Vodka 40%

Copper does something to spirit that steel never gets close to. The metal binds sulphur compounds and leaves behind a distillate with a weight no column can manufacture. At Cameronbridge in Fife stands a copper pot still more than 150 years old, and this bottle takes its name from it.

Expert description

Smirnoff Copper Pot Still No. 55 Triple Distilled Vodka is a British Vodka made from wheat, redistilled in a copper pot still and bottled at 40%.

The number 55 points to a different recipe from the red No. 21. Where No. 21 travels through seven columns of activated charcoal for up to eight hours, No. 55 gets a single pass through birch charcoal. In exchange it goes past the copper, and that is where the whole difference sits.

Small batch here means the runs are kept small enough for the copper pot still to handle the entire volume. The result is a vodka with noticeably more body than the red one: oily in the mouth, nutty through the middle and carrying a spiced pull at the end. This is not one to bury in a Bloody Mary.

Tasting notes

Nose

Liquorice and wheat bran, dry and faintly floury. Behind it sit brazil nut and a soft aniseed tone.

Palate

Heavy in the mouth and close to oily. Chestnut and creamy nut sweetness fill the middle before fennel cuts through and clears it away.

Finish

Spiced and long by vodka standards. Liquorice and nut first, then cracked black pepper that stays put.

Specifications

Name: Smirnoff Copper Pot Still No. 55 Triple Distilled 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 and cool in a small glass, or in a Vodka Martini with a twist of lemon.

Flavour profile

Oily · Nutty · Spiced · Full-bodied

Did you know?

When the bottle was redesigned in January 2008, the large copper script reading Copper Pot Still was demoted to small print while the words Small Batch were added. The No. 55 ended up on the skirt of the capsule. That is part of why the same vodka now appears under several names on the shelf.

See our full range of Vodka

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently asked questions about Smirnoff Copper Pot Still No. 55 Triple Distilled Vodka

What does the copper pot still do to the vodka?

It gives it body. Copper reacts chemically with sulphur compounds in the spirit and strips them out, while a pot still works more slowly and less efficiently than a column. That lower efficiency is the point: more of the grain character survives the journey.

How does No. 55 differ from No. 21?

Two different recipes and two different processes. No. 21 is the red one, cleaned ten times through charcoal until it is as neutral as it can be. No. 55 takes a turn through copper and only one filtration, so it ends up heavier, rounder and more spiced.

Why only one filtration?

Because every pass removes character. Activated charcoal binds not just the unwanted fusel oils but also part of the aromatic compounds that give grain its identity. A single pass tidies up without emptying the bottle of flavour.

How is it best drunk?

Neat and cool rather than ice cold. At freezer temperature the oily texture and nutty character close down, while around ten degrees lets both step forward. A small tulip glass does more for it than a shot glass.

Is 40% noticeably stronger than 37.5%?

Yes, in texture more than in heat. The extra 2.5 percentage points give clearer weight in the mouth and carry the heavier aromatics further. In a Martini it means the vodka can still be tasted after the vermouth.

Does it work in cocktails?

In the simple ones, yes. A Vodka Martini, a Vesper or a dry Vodka Soda give it room to show the nut and the spice. In drinks with tomato juice, coffee liqueur or plenty of syrup, the work done in the copper is lost.

Where is it made?

At Cameronbridge in Fife, Scotland, one of the largest grain distilleries in Europe. It is also where European Smirnoff Red is produced. To compare with other pot still vodkas, have a look through our Vodka brands.