Popular Smirnoff Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Head into the liquor store to purchase an affordable bottle of vodka and you're likely to pick Smirnoff. Not only is Smirnoff one of the most widely available vodkas on the market, sold in 130 countries, according to the brand, but Smirnoff also claims that it's the top-selling premium spirit in the world, and the top-selling flavored vodka brand in the world. As of 2017, it was also the most awarded vodka brand in the world. 

Smirnoff vodka comes in more than two dozen flavors, too, so as you're standing there in the vodka aisle at the liquor store, you'll have plenty of options to pick from. But which are your best bets for a great time? Some Smirnoff flavors are better than others (and some are all-out failures). We've ranked popular Smirnoff flavors from worst to best, to help you make the best choice for your tastes, whether you're planning on making fun cocktails or just shooting your vodka back straight.

In terms of flavor trends in the food and beverage space, tamarind has been a big one for 2021. Publications like Nutritional Outlook credit this to the pandemic, saying, since frequent travelers weren't able to get out of their homes much in 2020, they wanted more globally-inspired flavors. "The rising popularity of Asia-inspired flavors like yuzu, calamansi, and tamarind in [consumer packaged goods] products speaks to this [trend]," said Holly McHugh, marketing associate for Imbibe, in a Nutritional Outlook article.

But while tamarind is all well and good in things like chutneys and sauces, it needs to stay out of our vodka. Even to diehard tamarind fans, the combination of tamarind and spirits just doesn't work. As one reviewer said of Smirnoff's spicy tamarind vodka, "A surprising punch of sweet and sour sauce hits right away, quickly followed by a hot cayenne note. The sharp tanginess is overwhelming, as is the fieriness — but the combination of the two makes for an experience that is just plain weird. Both mouth-puckering and pungent, I could only manage a few sips before I had to call it a night."

Smirnoff's Sours series was launched in 2014 and the entire series falls to the bottom of our list for one primary reason — Why would you want to drink something that tastes like the homemade sour Jolly Rancher vodka your friends made in college? You remember the kind — drop a handful of sour Jolly Ranchers into a bottle of plain vodka, let them dissolve, and then pass around the noxious mixture as shots at a party.

When introducing the Sours flavors, which included, at launch, green apple, watermelon, and fruit punch flavors, Smirnoff said, "The first of its kind, Sours packs a flavorful punch into every shot that is sure to awaken taste buds... Smirnoff Sours taste best served as a chilled shot." 

And that right there is a big red flag. If you have to drink a liquor chilled and it's completely unpalatable at room temperature, it probably doesn't taste that great at all. The refrigeration just makes it go down a little bit easier. Green apple was the worst of the bunch, so we're ranking them number 24 on our list.

Honestly, the whole Sours series seems to be a limited-time gimmick on Smirnoff's part and, yet, it's not. You can still buy the green apple, watermelon, and berry lemon variants in stores as of summer 2021; only the sour fruit punch flavor fell off somewhere between the 2014 launch and today. 

The watermelon variety is slightly better than the green apple, but it's still sure to make you pucker up. In fact, that sour pucker was all part of Smirnoff's marketing plan for the flavors. The brand encouraged drinkers to take photos of their friends' puckered faces after taking shots of the stuff and then post them on social media, saying, "Sours is the next big thing in shot rituals. It's unique because it creates a true, memorable moment — toasting with new and old friends and capturing the sour face that follows."

We're not sure it was ever next big thing, but we're going to take a big pass.

Rounding out today's available Smirnoff Sours flavors is Sours berry lemon, which is only slightly less offensive to the tastebuds than the Sours green apple and Sours watermelon varieties. 

Introduced a year after the original Smirnoff Sours lineup, in 2015, berry lemon wasn't just pushed as a spirit to take as a refrigerated shot, but was also recommended as a vodka to mix with lemon-lime soda. That's what really saves this vodka flavor and makes it the best of the Smirnoff Sours options. If you're going to go sour, the combination of berry and lemon are the most ideal, giving you a flavored vodka that doesn't taste quite as juvenile as the other Sours flavors. Still, though, as reviewers note on alcohol delivery service Drizly, the Sours berry lemon has "a good flavor, but [the] wild blue color is a little much. [You] can only have about one of these, but [it's] decent."

Now, you may find yourself asking, as you scratch your head as you stand in the vodka aisle at the liquor store, perusing all the many Smirnoff bottles, "What exactly is the difference between Smirnoff's green apple and Smirnoff's Sours green apple?" And that's a great question.

The Smirnoff green apple is just slightly smoother than the Smirnoff Sours green apple — smooth enough that you can enjoy it alone with soda, rather than resorting to chilled shots only. However, that smoothness isn't great enough to redeem the flavor very much, which is why it only ranks just above Smirnoff's Sours series.

Honestly, if you want to go with a green apple-inspired alcoholic beverage from Smirnoff, you'd be best off going with Smirnoff Ice green apple, the carbonated malt beverage that's blatantly a sugary, fruity, sour alcoholic beverage, rather than a flavored vodka pretending it's better than it is.

Sure, to the new drinker, all liquor tastes a little bit medicinal, but if you're a seasoned vodka drinker and you take a swig of this Smirnoff grape vodka, you will undoubtedly be transported back in time to your days of drinking grape cough syrup as a child — and why would you want that experience all over again, on purpose? Smirnoff's grape-flavored vodka just tastes fake, or at least, what we think of today as "fake grape."

That fake grape flavor is a synthetic chemical that's a match for one found in Concord grapes. But, most Americans don't eat Concord grapes; they eat grapes that are grown in Chile or California, grapes that don't contain the same chemicals and which therefore don't taste the same, resulting in what we think of as a "fake" flavor. 

All that said, if you're expecting your Smirnoff grape vodka to taste like the grapes in your produce drawer, you'll be sorely disappointed.

If you take a gander at all of Smirnoff's flavors, you'll notice that the brand has capitalized on just about every fruity and tropical flavor out there, including coconut. Unfortunately, some of those flavors just don't work well with vodka. Coconut, for example, goes best with rum. As one reviewer notes, "Clear, unlike UV's milky white oddity, Smirnoff again shows that when it comes to coconut, the natural companion is rum, not vodka. There's something about these two that just doesn't seem to play well together: The coconut just can't be sweetened enough to cut through the vodka's harshness."

Vodka is naturally harsh and somewhat astringent, but for those who like vodka, that's a good thing. Trying to cover that up, or even trying to make that harshness play well with something light, like coconut, is just a giant fail that proves Smirnoff is trying too hard, in some instances, to expand its ever-growing list of flavors.

Now we're moving out of the truly terrible Smirnoff vodka flavors and into the flavors that are a little more in the middle of the pack. Smirnoff's pink lemonade is a newer flavor, just introduced in 2021, and it's already receiving positive reviews. So what makes this different from your basic spiked pink lemonade? This version of Smirnoff combines both strawberry and raspberry with lemon, creating a delicious balance of sweet and sour, for a drink that somehow feels more adult than your average lemonade-flavored beverage.

And, just like with Smirnoff's green apple option, you can get the pink lemonade Smirnoff flavor as a Smirnoff Ice drink, too. That means no mixing and a lower ABV.

So why doesn't the Smirnoff pink lemonade vodka rank higher on our list? You still have the issue of needing to mix the vodka with something, whether that be lemonade, lemon-lime soda, or straight soda water, in order for it to be truly enjoyable.

Smirnoff's raspberry flavor has been a staple on the Smirnoff lineup for years. It reliably tastes the way raspberry-flavored things are supposed to taste and is a pretty decent addition to mixed drinks — or even just an ice-cold Coca-Cola. You can even take shots of the raspberry-flavored vodka and, while it might not be the best option, it's still do-able and even do-able when the vodka is at room temperature. However, if you're going to drink your Smirnoff straight, you can certainly do better, which is why this raspberry-flavored vodka sits where it does on our list of worst to best Smirnoff flavors.

Reviewers report using the raspberry flavor as an alternative to the pink lemonade Smirnoff when it's not available, including as a mixer with Mountain Dew or orange soda, or even in sangria. It's also a favorite for making Jell-O shots.

If you like most pineapple-flavored things, you'll probably like Smirnoff pineapple. Like the Smirnoff raspberry, the pineapple flavor is decent as a shot, even at room temperature, and it makes for a very versatile mixer. However, just like with the Smirnoff raspberry, when it comes to the Smirnoff pineapple, you could do better. In fact, if you're looking specificallyfor a pineapple-flavored alcoholic beverage, you could just go with the Smirnoff Ice Pineapple option, which is arguably significantly better than the straight flavored vodka. Rather than being a layer of pineapple flavor loosely draped over the more in-your-face flavor of vodka, Smirnoff Ice pineapple is fizzy, bubbly, and refreshing, and hardly tastes like alcohol at all.

If, though, you do want to give the pineapple-flavored vodka a try, reviewers recommend mixing it with lemonade or making a cocktail of pineapple popsicles, coconut milk, the pineapple vodka, and coconut rum.

Infused with natural cherry flavor, Smirnoff cherry vodka is yet another one of the brand's middle-of-the-road fruit flavors. It ranks higher than some of its fruity competitors, though, thanks to its overall versatile appeal. Most drinkers aren't going to mind a bit of cherry flavor in their mixed beverage, and the cherry flavor itself doesn't taste as "fake" as, say, Smirnoff's grape option. As for your mixing options, reviewers recommend just about any soda and some even use the vodka as an alternative to wine, when serving non-wine drinking friends. One notes, "If you're having a girls' night and your girls don't drink wine (like mine) then just grab you a bottle of this and any soda you like and be ready to relax, unwind, and enjoy a great time with your girls!"

Total Wine also recommends using the vodka in a berry Sspritzer cocktail, mixing an ounce of the cherry vodka with two ounces of club soda, three ounces of cranberry juice, and a garnish of fresh blueberries.

Another fruit flavor from Smirnoff, Smirnoff passion fruit, is also pretty good when mixed, and, like the cherry option, it's versatile enough that it can be mixed into just about any sweet cocktail. It also pairs well with just about any standard mixer, from soda to fruit juices. Reviewers on Drizly say their favorite mixing (and chaser) options include Fresca, mango juice, orange juice, diet soda, and soda water. One even recommends adding the vodka, along with passion fruit juice, into an ice cream maker, for a cocktail slushy. Another recommends mixing it with Smirnoff pineapple for a very fruity vodka mix.

The only downside to Smirnoff's Passion Fruit vodka? When you're dealing with such strong flavors as passion fruit, they can start to feel old, pretty quickly. Because of that, it's likely that you wouldn't choose this flavored vodka as your go-to every single weekend.

On the sweet side, Smirnoff watermelon, while not as popular as some of the other fruity flavors on this list for drinking straight and/or in shot form, receives rave reviews as a mixer. Unsurprisingly, reviewers seem to love Smirnoff watermelon for use in their watermelon-based slush cocktails. In fact, if you're looking for the right vodka to use in your vodka-spiked watermelon, look no further.

Never made a spiked watermelon before? While the process does take a while (over 12 hours), it's a pretty easy one and well worth the time if you want to impress your guests at your next summer party. All you need is a watermelon and a bottle of vodka (in this case, Smirnoff watermelon). You core out a hole in the center of the watermelon, slide your upside-down bottle of vodka inside, and then let it all rest for a few hours, until the vodka seeps into the watermelon. Then, you can remove the vodka, put the watermelon in the fridge to chill, and slice and dice when you're ready to chow down on your boozy snack.

As far as Smirnoff's flavors go, Smirnoff Sorbet Light raspberry pomegranate is definitely one of the sweeter options, and not necessarily in a good way. While Smirnoff's caramel and peppermint options (more on both in a bit) are sweet in the way you'd expect from those flavors, and they're sweet in a way that's not cloying nor artificial, that's exactly what Smirnoff Sorbet Light raspberry pomegranate is. So why does it rank so highly on our list? 

It's all because, despite the flavor's lack of mass appeal, it does have a pretty passionate fanbase, many of whom seem to like the fact that the flavor is pretty sweet (one reviewer even mentioned adding the vodka to ice cream). They also like that since it's straight vodka, it's low in calories, making the vodka a suitable alternative to sugary cocktails. And, that was exactly what Smirnoff was going for when the brand introduced its line of Sorbet Light vodkas in 2013. With 78 calories per 1.5-ounce serving, the brand says each serving has "25% fewer calories than the leading dessert-inspired flavored vodkas."

While Smirnoff root beer float may not be something you'd want to drink on its own, at least not on a regular basis, it does get points for being the perfect addition to an actual root beer float (or just root beer ... or really quite a few different sodas). Creamy, slightly sweet, with that classic root beer spice and vanilla kick, this is a vodka that'll make you feel a little bit nostalgic, but in a good way. And reviewers agree, saying it's not overly strong, the flavored vodka is a great fit for parties, and that it's pretty smooth and not too vodka-y. 

However, this is a Smirnoff flavor that some shoppers report not being able to find in every single geographic location. But, for those craving a delicious alcoholic root beer float, Smirnoff does have you covered with other suitable flavors to add straight to your root beer, for a similar root beer float taste with a kick of vodka. Some other adult root beer float add-ins include Smirnoff's less-popular whipped cream flavor, as well as Smirnoff vanilla.

Another Smirnoff flavor that you probably don't want to drink every day, Smirnoff Red, White & Berry does get a special nod and a reasonably high ranking thanks to its nostalgia-inducing flavor that's been likened to Bomb Pops. If you don't recall Bomb Pops, they're the red, white, and blue rocket-shaped popsicles that were (and still are) available at just about every ice-cream counter, in every ice-cream cooler, and from every ice-cream truck while many of us were growing up. Just like the Smirnoff Red, White & Berry vodka, the Bomb Pop blends three flavors — cherry, lime, and blue raspberry (although Smirnoff clarifies that its lime is more of a straight citrus).

Want to enjoy the same flavors, just with a lower ABV? Smirnoff also makes a Smirnoff Ice Red, White & Berry drink, so you get the same Bomb Pop taste, only as a malt beverage with less alcohol and a carbonated, fizzy base.

Very few people are sitting around just eating cranberries and, similarly, very few people are just sitting around sipping straight cranberry vodka, but Smirnoff still has dedicated one of its flavors to this under-appreciated berry. Thankfully, the actual cocktail that's a cranberry vodka (aka Cape Cod) is pretty popular, making this vodka flavor a perfect fit for mixing with cranberry juice and a splash of lime, or with a lemon-lime soda. 

Reviewers also like this flavor when used to make cocktails like Cosmopolitans or when mixed with ginger ale or mineral water. However, some do complain that, while crisp, it's not the smoothest vodka on this list, and you definitely can still feel that familiar vodka burn. For some, that'll be a plus, as the cranberry doesn't overwhelm the vodka, but for those who want their flavored vodka to taste just like the flavor and nothing else, this option might be underwhelming.

Another fruity Smirnoff flavor that's best mixed, Smirnoff orange is a truly versatile flavor of vodka. It plays well in fruity drinks, but also dessert cocktails. It works on its own, and also in the simplest mixed drinks, even if it's just with some soda water and a splash of lime. Reviewers describe Smirnoff orange as smooth, and great with a cream soda, for an orange creamsicle-like taste. Of course, if you're making screwdrivers, there's really no other flavor you'd want. 

One reviewer notes that the crisp, clean flavor doesn't taste overly like alcohol and that the orange flavor really does taste like fresh-squeezed oranges. According to Smirnoff, that's all thanks to the vodka's unique blend of six varietals of mandarin and navel oranges. Just like a few of Smirnoff's other flavors, Smirnoff orange is available as a Smirnoff Ice flavor, for the same flavor, but a lower ABV and a carbonated base.

As far as Smirnoff's fruity flavors go, Smirnoff blueberry is pretty mild, so you could feasibly drink it straight, on crushed ice, or as a shot. However, it also works well with a lot of different mixers. It's a little sweet, but not overly so, and it doesn't taste at all artificial. The blueberry flavor blends well with the natural flavor of the alcohol, too, so it's not as if the two flavor profiles are warring for your attention.

According to reviewers, favorite mixers include pineapple juice, cranberry juice, lemonade, lemon-lime soda, and even Red Bull. Reviewers report that the blueberry flavor is definitely suitable for summertime. Just be careful — reviewers also note that, because Smirnoff blueberry is so smooth, it masks the taste of the vodka pretty well, meaning you might be drinking a little more than you initially planned. As always, when sampling any of Smirnoff's flavors, it's important to keep an eye on just how much you're sampling.

While not the best sweet flavor on Smirnoff's team (we'll get to the best of the best in a few minutes), the Kissed Caramel flavor from Smirnoff is still pretty good. In terms of sugary flavors, it's surprisingly smooth for how much sugar is actually there, making it a good addition to most dessert cocktails. From hot chocolate, to milkshakes, to your White Russian, this Smirnoff flavor could work well with them all.

But true fans like this vodka all on its own, as reviewers say things like, "My favorite drink is a shot of Carmel Kissed vodka over crushed ice! Perfect refresher for the weather heating up..." and "This vodka is dangerous ... Very smooth and the flavor of caramel is balanced perfectly. Great on the rocks and even better in a Sour Appletini." Other reviewers report success mixing the vodka with chocolate milk and even coffee, as a creamer replacement on the weekends.

You're probably wondering why this Smirnoff flavor ranks so highly on our list. It's partially because, when it comes to making dessert cocktails, there are few flavors that are so often used as peppermint. However, few consumers are regularly making dessert cocktails at home, so when they do need a peppermint vodka or other peppermint-flavored spirit, they likely don't want to spend a ton of money. Thankfully, when it comes to Smirnoff's peppermint offering, the brand provides a great quality product, but also an agreeable price that isn't going to require basically overspending for a spirit that you only use every once in a while. 

Beyond this, in terms of vodka flavors, if you're going to go with a particularly strong one, peppermint is probably the flavor you want to choose; the sharp taste of the peppermint mixes well with the equally sharp taste of Smirnoff vodka, in a way that some other flavors (like tamarind) just can't do.

When you're looking for a vodka to specifically use in sweet cocktails, or if you're someone who likes an alcohol that's on the sweeter side in general, you still want a flavored vodka that's not going to be too cloyingly sweet or that's going to taste wildly artificial. That's where Smirnoff vanilla comes in. The flavor is light and smooth and the vanilla notes work well with tons of different mixers and cocktails. And if you have a sweet tooth, you may find the flavor to be an agreeable vodka for shots and straight drinking on the rocks as well. 

Mix it into your hot beverages, like hot chocolate. Throw some into your milkshake. Turn a regular ol' Coca-Cola into a Vanilla Coke. In terms of how you can use this Smirnoff flavor, you're really only limited by your imagination. If you could envision yourself adding a few drops of vanilla extract to something, you can add Smirnoff vanilla in the same way.

Smirnoff lime does an excellent job of infusing a vodka with a lot of flavor, but without straight up slapping you in the face with that flavor. This flavor works well both by itself or with a mixer, and even simple mixers won't be overpowered. Any cocktail or mixed drink that's normally garnished with a lime or that includes lime juice? You can probably just add a splash of this on top. Think a vodka soda with lime or a Cape Cod.

Reviewers like this one all on its own, too, saying, "Perfect amount of lime flavor. Excellent for Bloody Mary or on the rocks. The lime flavor tastes like fresh limes, not imitation!" and "It's tart, not too sweet, but still smooth enough to sip. Absolutely will buy again!"

Sadly, Smirnoff did release an even better version of Smirnoff lime, in 2019, that also included ginger, making it a perfect addition to a ginger beer for a makeshift Moscow Mule, but that flavor has since been discontinued.

The best flavored vodkas feature a balanced flavor profile (or, in other words, neither the vodka nor the flavor, whatever that flavor may be, overpowers the other); a crisp finish; and an overall flavor that pairs well with a variety of different mixers and cocktail ingredients. Smirnoff Citrus checks all of those boxes with ease. 

Infused with natural citrus flavors (primarily lemon), it pairs well with the most simple mixers, such as soda water, but then it also works well in more complex cocktails, if you want to get a little creative at the bar cart. It's also not overly sweet. It's not overly citrusy. Everything is balanced, light, and refreshing. As one reviewer says, "This is a great flavored vodka that I especially enjoy during hot, Texas evenings. (Keep in mind that flavored vodka contains less alcohol than its counterpart.) Really nice on the rocks with a slice of lime!"

Sure, it's not a flavor, but it is the best Smirnoff vodka you're going to find, hands down. Smirnoff No. 21 vodka, according to the brand, is the world's top vodka. Triple distilled and filtered 10 times over, it's the OG of mainstream vodka. Sure, new drinkers may not find it very palatable due to the lack of flavor, and, yes, it might not be as smooth as other, more expensive vodkas on the liquor store shelf, but for a middle-grade, inexpensive, unflavored vodka, Smirnoff No. 21 ticks all the right boxes. 

Overall, experienced drinkers will appreciate the lack of flavor, as it essentially makes the vodka a do-it-all blank canvas on which you can create the cocktail of your dreams — or, you can simply drink it straight and not wince every time you catch a note of that odd fake flavor (or even, god forbid, a pucker-worthy sour tang).