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
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.