Product:- Smirnoff Vodka 1 litre

Price:- On Offer at £12.99 from ASDA

Manufacturer:- Smirnoff

As a drinker of Vodka due to anything else seeming to cause vomiting, I thought it's a good excuse to open a bottle, pour a well earned drink and write a review on the product. I think that I may have put off reviewing Vodka due to over indulgence in the past and the lingering memory of 2 day hangovers. But now that I consider myself to be relatively grown up with the binge drinking days of youth and speedy hangover recovery time behind me, I feel that I can review Vodka objectively without the need for over indulgence.

*****Company Blurb*****
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka now owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov (1831-1898), the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.
Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored vodka, and malt beverages. In March 2006, Diageo North America claimed that Smirnoff vodka was the best-selling distilled spirit brand in the world. Source:- Wikipedia

*****Origins of Vodka*****
Vodka or a form of Vodka has been around for a very, very long time and Russia and Poland appear to have been the pioneers of the drink as Vodka is thought to have originated from either country. A rough estimate has placed the first incarnation of Vodka at the beginning of the 12th century and the original Vodka was primarily used as a medicinal aid due to its antiseptic and disinfectant qualities. Around the middle of the 14th century people discovered vodka intoxicating qualities and home grown versions were soon being made and vodka as drink was born.
In Russia vodka was believed to posses it's very own spirit which led to religious associations and the drink would be passed around at religious gatherings with folk that refused to partake being accused of being impious.
Vodka was originally a rye based drink but its mass popularity and presumable accessibility to ingredients led to Potato being used. But once Vodka was mass marketed by large distilleries the humble potato was passed over in favor of grain. Leading to today's key ingredients which are Rye, Wheat, Barley and corn.

*****How Vodka is made*****
Vodka is essentially made by first using the process of distillation - this involves the separation of the contents of the liquids and then ensuring the extraction of alcohol from a low strength alcoholic liquid to make it into a stronger one. The first stage to making the vodka is mixing and crushing the ingredients and mixing them with water, the gloopy mixture is then heated which enables the conversion of starch into sugar and the remaining sticky goo is called "Wort". The next stage is to add yeast which then goes through a formation process to create a liquid which goes by the name of "wash". This is then converted into a raw spirit by distillation which when repeated ensures that all of the impurities are diminished and the alcohol level is raised.
Smirnoff is essentially a grain Vodka that has been rectified twice and filtered through activated charcoal to ensure its purity, the water used in Smirnoff is also reputed to be of a high grade.

*****Product Appearance*****
Smirnoff Vodka is sold in clear glass bottles (I am unsure as to whether the glass is recycled glass or not). I am presuming that the choice of clear glass is to re-enforce the "Purity" message that Smirnoff is a pure filtered vodka. Smirnoff marketing does tend to rely on the "Puriry" message as a hook and the packaging reflects the message. The bottle is of a standard shape and bears the red Smirnoff logo and coat of arms on the front. The cap is red made of red plastic.

*****Taste and Smell*****
Vodka essentially doesn't taste of anything except a strong alcoholy taste, the type that generates a heat sensation within your throat and body as the liquid works it way through you. Perhaps that's why it's a favorite party drink especially amongst women due to its lack of taste almost.
I find that Vodka is extremely versatile when it comes to mixing with soft or indeed other alcoholic drinks; once again I find this is due to the inoffensive taste. Vodka can be mixed with Cranberry Juice, Water, Orange or Pineapple Juice, Coca Cola, Tonic Water or Lemonade, Red Bull tends to be a popular mixer where Vodka is concerned although I personally find this mix isn't a good one for me. Vodka doesn't really smell of anything other than a strong alcohol smell, It evokes memories of nail varnish remover for me which is presume is down to the ingredients of both Vodka and Nail Varnish Remover.

*****Product Usage*****
As previously mentioned Vodka is a highly versatile drink when it comes to mixers and generally most people are not averse to a glass or two of vodka. Although on the cautionary side, I have found that it's very easy to drink too many vodka's too quickly whilst being duped by it's inoffensive taste and thinking that I am drinking a soft drink - thus leading to getting tiddly rather quickly. Vodka tends not to have the same bloated, gassy feeling that drinking Lager can create or the heady feeling that red wine can sometimes cause. I find that Vodka is quite a clean drink in regards to its intoxicating effects and tends to make me lively and happy as opposed to heady or sleepy. It's always worth reminding people of the allocated daily guidelines for safe and sensible drinking which are as follows:-

Female 2-3 units or less
Male 3-4 units or less

Refraining on one day should not mean excess on another. If you choose to drink when you're pregnant (or planning to become pregnant), you should consume no more than 1-2 units of alcohol once or twice a week.

Unit of Alcohol = Half a pint of ordinary strength Lager/Beer/Cider (3.5%) or a 25ml pub measure of spirit (40%) or a small glass of wine (9%)

*****Drinking levels and driving*****
The UK driving limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - which is roughly equivalent to two pints of regular strength lager. This is however, only a guide. You should never drink up to the limit just because you can. Studies show that driving skills are affected after just one unit, which means that your risk of having an accident is higher even if you are below the legal limit. Source: - www.bupa.co.uk

*****Other uses for Vodka*****
Vodka can also be used to help your clothes smell fresher, simply spritz some onto your clothes and leave to dry. Vodka kills odor causing bacteria apparently.
Vodka is also handy for cleaning Chrome, glass and porcelain fixtures and al you have to do is Moisten a soft, clean cloth and scrub away.

Vodka can also help to preserve flowers, just add a few drops of Vodka and a teaspoon of sugar to your water and change the mixture daily. This should help to keep your flowers fresher for longer.
Vodka can also be used to get rid of Mold, simply spritz some onto the affected area leave for 15 minutes and then scrub away with an old toothbrush. Source www.thedailygreen.com

*****Overall Review*****
I have a love/hate relationship with Vodka and often refer to Vodka indulgences as a night with "Mr. Smirnoff" because the after effects are akin to a destructive relationship whereby at the height of giddy romance it's a happy hazy blur but the next day whilst languishing in a hung-over state and nursing my fraught hung-over emotions in the cold, sharp light of day - the previous evenings date with Mr. Smirnoff becomes less appealing by the minute. Although after a few weeks abstinence the craving manifests. Much like one of those relationships that are best left well alone. This is just a personal observation and shouldn't be taken as a precautionary tale which takes away from the excellence of the product.
Smirnoff Vodka is an excellent drink, when drank in moderation and a great product when it comes to versatility as it can be mixed with almost anything.
I do find that hangovers are worse when Vodka has been consumed the reason for which I have yet to discover.

*****Value for Money*****
Smirnoff Vodka is at the pricey end of the Vodka market and if like me, a Litre can last a couple of months then Smirnoff is generally good value for money. I think in relation to Value for money it all depends on how long a bottle of Vodka will last. If you tend to drink a litre over a short space of time then maybe cheaper vodka would be greater value for money.

Advantages:- Great for mixing
Disadvantages:- It's easy to drink too many due to lack of distinctive taste.