Smirnoff 100 No 57 Triple Distilled Vodka Ste Pierre Smirnoff Fls 100 proof 37,8 cl 50%

There's something about a bottle that's never been opened. This one has sat sealed for decades, its imperial crown and coat of arms still intact — a small piece of American-Russian trade history, bottled in glass.

Expert Description

Smirnoff No. 57 Vodka is an American 100 proof vodka bottled by Ste Pierre Smirnoff Fls at 50% ABV, most likely somewhere between the 1950s and the 1970s. The label leans on the brand's old claim as "Purveyors to the Imperial Russian Court 1886-1917" and carries the four imperial Russian coats of arms that mark Heublein-era Smirnoff bottles. The back lists four bottling locations at once — Hartford in Connecticut, Allen Park in Michigan, Menlo Park in California, and Paducah in Kentucky — a sign of just how large Smirnoff's American production had become by that point.

This is an export bottling. That's confirmed by the red "U.S. Internal Revenue" tax strip across the cap, a legal requirement on American spirits until it was phased out in 1985. Given the bottle is both unopened and several decades old, we treat it primarily as a collector's piece rather than something meant for drinking — the contents may well have shifted in character over time, even with the seal intact.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Straightforward grain vodka at its most honest — neutral, with a touch of warmth from the 50% ABV and no perfumed notes to speak of.

Palate

Sharp and direct on first contact, a dry, grainy body building toward a clear alcoholic heat.

Finish

Short and clean, with little sweetness — typical of a classic, unfiltered high-proof vodka from the period.

Specifications

Name: Smirnoff No. 57 Vodka
Distillery: Smirnoff
Region/Country: USA
Type: Vodka
ABV: 50%
Size: 37.8 CL
Edition: Export bottling (tax-stripped)

Flavour Profile

Grainy · Dry · Bold · Classic

Did You Know?

In June 1950, bartenders marched down Fifth Avenue in New York carrying banners demanding an end to the Moscow Mule — "Down with the Moscow Mule." The stunt landed Smirnoff a full page of free publicity in the New York Daily News, and the drink only got more popular from there.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Smirnoff No. 57 Vodka

Can you still drink a vodka this old?

In theory, vodka's high alcohol content keeps it stable almost indefinitely, but a bottle this old is best treated as a collector's piece. The seal may have let in trace amounts of air over the decades, so the flavour could have drifted from how it was originally meant to taste.

What does "No. 57" mean on the label?

It refers to Smirnoff's old recipe numbering system, where different numbers marked different proof strengths and formulas. No. 57 is the 100 proof bottling, while the better-known No. 21 is the standard 80 proof vodka.

Why does the label list four different cities?

Smirnoff was running several bottling plants in the US at once during this period — in Hartford, Allen Park, Menlo Park, and Paducah — and the label named all four regardless of which plant actually filled a given bottle.

What's the red strip across the cap?

That's a US "Internal Revenue" tax strip, a legal requirement on spirits sold in America until it was discontinued in 1985. The fact that it's still intact is a strong sign the bottle has never been opened.

Is this bottle rare?

Heublein-era Smirnoff bottles with this label design turn up fairly regularly at international auction houses and among spirits collectors, so it isn't extremely rare — but a well-preserved, unopened export bottling with an intact tax strip is still an appealing find for collectors of vintage American spirits.

Would this make a good gift for a vodka collector?

Yes, especially for someone interested in spirits history or Cold War-era American consumer culture — the bottle tells a real story about how vodka broke through in the American market.