About this vodka

Smirnoff's story starts in Moscow in 1864, and the brand went on to help kick off the cocktail boom of the 1950s; the Moscow Mule was built on it. The red-label No. 21 is the house recipe, and in India it carries the Triple Distilled name on its label. It is distilled three times from a blend of grains, then filtered ten times through charcoal across seven columns, a process designed to strip it back to a clean, smooth spirit.

In the glass it is neutral and crisp, with a soft grain sweetness and a light peppery edge that keeps it lively in mixed drinks. That makes it a dependable workhorse for a home bar: it lets fresh lime, ginger, cranberry or tomato do the talking. It is the vodka to stock for a crowd at a house party or puja gathering, when you want a familiar name for highballs, Moscow Mules and Bloody Marys.

Key facts

• Smirnoff's flagship Red No. 21 vodka, sold in India as Smirnoff Triple Distilled
• Triple distilled from a blend of grains
• Filtered ten times through charcoal, using seven columns
• Brand heritage dates to 1864

Tasting notes

Nose:

Clean and neutral, a faint grain sweetness

Palate:

Smooth, with a whisper of sweetness and a subtle hint of black pepper

Finish:

Short, crisp and clean

Serve

Moscow Mule: 50 ml vodka and the juice of half a lime over ice, topped with ginger beer and served in a copper mug or highball glass. Also works simply with soda and lime.

Food pairing

Its clean profile suits fried and spicy snacks: Chinese-Bengali chilli chicken, fish fingers or kathi rolls, and on the international side smoked salmon blinis.