Smirnoff

When you think of Russia, the chances are you’ll also think of vodka and when you think of Vodka, you’ll think of Smirnoff. This famous brand of vodka from Diageo started life out of a distillery in Moscow and is now being produced all over the world. It was created by Pyotr Arsenyevitch Smirnov 1864 whose innovative charcoal filtration took the market by storm. He got the word out through newspaper advertising and suppressed the usual clerical calls for temperance with a few well-placed bribes. Pretty soon it was the drink of choice for Russian royalty and has become synonymous with the country.

Today, it is the largest vodka brand in the world with its ultra-smooth taste. Its Smirnoff 21 is the most popular vodka in the world, triple distilled from a blend of grains and filtered seven times through sustainable charcoal for an incredibly pure and smooth taste. Its Smirnoff black range, meanwhile, is charcoal distilled in 150-year-old pots for a striking flavour which harks back to the brand’s grand history. Smirnoff Ice became a cultural icon as a party drink while its Fusion and Seltzer give a fruity twist on the old classic.