Smirnoff Red Triple Distilled Premium Vodka 100 cl 37,5%

Some bottles stand at the front of the window. Others stand at the front of the speed rail. The litre bottle with the red shield belongs firmly to the second group. It gets lifted, poured and put back a hundred times in an evening without anyone giving it a thought. It was built to work.

Expert description

Smirnoff Red Triple Distilled Premium Vodka 100 cl is a British Vodka made from grain, triple distilled and bottled at 37.5%.

Behind the label sits recipe number 21, the one the whole house rests on. Grain neutral spirit is rectified in column, cut back with demineralised water and then sent through seven columns of activated charcoal. Filtration can take up to eight hours, and the spirit passes roughly seven tonnes of charcoal before it is brought down to bottling strength.

The process removes rather than adds, and that is the entire point. The litre format is built for many glasses rather than one, and it behaves itself in everything from a Moscow Mule to a Bloody Mary. If you are drinking it neat, keep it cold. Warmth pulls the pepper forward at the expense of the grain.

Tasting notes

Nose

Almost silent on the first pass. Stay with it and a dry chalky note appears, along with a trace of black pepper.

Palate

Light and clean. The grain shows as a thin ribbon of sweetness through the middle before the pepper takes over.

Finish

Short, dry and peppery. It lets go quickly, which is a virtue in a bottle meant for mixing.

Specifications

Name: Smirnoff Red Triple Distilled Premium Vodka 100 cl
Producer: Smirnoff
Region/Country: United Kingdom
Type: British Vodka
ABV: 37.5%
Size: 100 CL
Distillation method: Triple distilled and charcoal filtered
EAN no.: 5410316442930
Serving suggestion: A Moscow Mule with ginger beer and lime, or ice cold in a Bloody Mary.

Flavour profile

Neutral · Dry · Peppery · Built for mixing

Did you know?

In August 1952 the British drinks house Gilbey took on the right to make and sell Smirnoff in Britain. European Smirnoff has had a British address ever since, and the litre bottle on the shelf has never been anywhere near Moscow.

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Frequently asked questions about Smirnoff Red Triple Distilled Premium Vodka 100 cl

How many drinks does a litre bottle make?

Around 25, counting 4 cl per drink. That is why the litre format usually ends up behind the bar rather than in a gift bag. If you are batching punch or a jug for a party, it also saves you opening several bottles along the way.

What does triple distilled actually mean here?

The spirit has been rectified in several passes before it reaches filtration. Each pass strips out more of the heavier alcohols and fusel oils, leaving a distillate with fewer edges. It is one reason there is almost no burn in the throat.

What does No. 21 stand for?

It is a recipe number, not an age or a strength. The number comes from the Smirnov family's own numbered recipes and was developed by Vladimir Smirnov. Every bottle carrying the red shield rests on that same number.

Should the bottle live in the freezer?

It can, but it does not need to. Cold thickens the texture and mutes the pepper, which suits a shot glass. For cocktails, fridge temperature is plenty, since the ice in the shaker does the rest of the work.

Which drinks suit it best?

The ones where the vodka carries rather than decides. Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver and Vodka Tonic are all built around a neutral base. In drinks with very little else, such as a bone dry Martini, it turns rather anonymous.

How long does an opened bottle keep?

Years, provided it stands dark, cool and tightly capped. The alcohol keeps it stable and there is no sugar or fruit aromatic to shift. A bottle left nearly empty for a long stretch can go slightly flat from the air above it.

What is the charcoal actually taking out?

Traces of heavier alcohols, esters and fusel oils left from fermentation. Activated charcoal has an enormous internal surface area, and the unwanted molecules bind to it while ethanol and water pass through. The charcoal now has to come from sustainable forestry. More filtration-focused bottles sit in our Vodka brands.