Smirnoff is never going to be amongst the elite vodkas. While its name sounds fancy, its in "the middle of the pack," although much better than horrible ones like Aristocrat and Ten High. Those are best suited, as a back up for jet fuel, while this particular vodka is fine for mixed beverages. I have drank it straight of course. To its credit, there's not a lot of burn, but the flavor isn't the best. Its medium in its strength, as you'll feel a little fire, but not as much as you'll find in an authentic Russian one. Some of those will literally have you crying, along with your face changing colors.

This is what a lot of people will call, "vodka for the masses," and that seems to be appropriate. While you can drink it straight, I like it with various mixed drinks, such as a Long Island Ice Tea. You can also use it as a alternative to gin with a vodka based Tom Collins, and the 40% alcohol volume, is more than enough to get you torn up quite fast. While drinking it straight, I will say that it does have a good finish, and not a lot of aftertaste. Yet its kind of boring, and while it has an almost nutty and creamy flavor to it, there's just nothing much more going on with it. I do like the syrupy texture though. Plus, like other vodkas the lack of an odor is a plus. "Road soda."

The 1000 ML bottle is attractive enough, but of course its not going to catch your eyes, like a selection from Absolut or Grey Goose. I looked up the history of Smirnoff on Wikipedia, and found it interesting, that its produced in the USA while being owned by a British company. Huh? To each their own, and perhaps that's why it fails to hold up to the genuine Russian recipes, or my personal favorites from Latvia. They know how to make a good vodka, as does the country of Georgia. There's are often infused with honey, to give them a bit more flavor, while allowing you to knock them back.

One advantage to this vodka is the pricing. At $20 for a 1000 ml bottle, that's a bargain compared to other brands. Also, you can find it anywhere. That alone is good, and to its credit, the vodka is consistent. I have yet to have a bad batch, so their quality controls are obviously in place. Yes this could use more flavor than it has, but when it doubt, put it in a mixed beverage. That way you'll still get a nice vodka buzz, instead of the hammering headache, that gin or tequila can be known for. I don't recommend this brand with a premium cigar, as that will ruin the taste of the stogie, but as a stand alone drink its fine. For those who are a bit worried about shots, and that burning which can be associated with vodka, this is a safe choice. Please drink responsibly, and always have a designated driver on hand.

Recommended: Yes