Smirnoff No. 21
Connecticut, USA (originally Russia)
The world's best-selling vodka. Triple-distilled, ten-times-filtered, corn-based. Inexpensive and chemically clean.
- Filtration
- 10x charcoal filtration
- Distillations
- 3×
- Grains
- corn
- Congeners
- Very Low
- Histamines
- Very Low
- Polyphenols
- Very Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Very Low
- Calories
- 98
- Sugar
- 0g
14g ethanol at 40% ABV. No sugar, so every calorie here is alcohol.
In its favor
- ✓Corn base, gluten-free
- ✓Aggressive filtration regime
- ✓Cheap per drink
What to watch
- !Smirnoff flavored line is full of sugar and dyes, avoid for hangover concerns
Factor by factor
Congeners Very Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Very Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Very Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Smirnoff No. 21 (the red-label original) is the world’s volume leader. Don’t confuse it with the company’s flavored sub-brands, which carry sugar, citric acid, and artificial coloring.
Smirnoff No. 21 questions
How many calories are in a shot of Smirnoff No. 21? ▾
About 98 calories in a 1.5oz shot at 40% ABV. All of them come from the alcohol, since there is no sugar.
Does Smirnoff No. 21 have sugar? ▾
No. Smirnoff No. 21 has 0g of sugar per 1.5oz serving.
Is Smirnoff No. 21 gluten-free? ▾
Yes. Smirnoff No. 21 is made from corn. There is no wheat, barley or rye at any stage.
What is Smirnoff No. 21 made from? ▾
Smirnoff No. 21 is made from corn, distilled 3 times with 10x charcoal filtration.
What proof is Smirnoff No. 21? ▾
Smirnoff No. 21 is 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume.
Does Smirnoff No. 21 give you a bad hangover? ▾
Smirnoff No. 21 scores 2/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 2/10 for vodka overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Smirnoff No. 21 vegan? ▾
Yes. Smirnoff No. 21 is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.