This is Smirnoff in its purest form, but certainly not basic. Smirnoff has a longstanding process where it distills vodka three times, and filters it 10 times to remove any impurities, and give it a smoother taste without the harsh edges of less processed vodkas. The triple distillation dates back to the company's origins in mid-19th century Russia when it was founded as Smirnov. The company's reputation grew and Smirnov became the Purveyor of the Imperial Court, or the official vodka-maker to the tsar and those at court. The Bolshevik revolution ran the founder's grandson out of town and out of Russia, where he started over in France where he began production under the name Smirnoff. This is where Smirnoff began filtering its spirits 10 times. No. 21 can be consumed by itself over ice, or in a number of mixed drinks.
