Piotr Smirnov founded his first vodka distillery in Moscow in the 1860s, under the name P.A. Smirnoff. He died in 1898 and was succeeded by Vladimir Smirnov. The company prospered, producing over 4 million crates of vodka per year. During the October Revolution, the distillery was confiscated, and the family had to flee. Vladimir Smirnov re-established the factory in Istanbul in 1920. Four years later, he moved to Lviv, Ukraine, and began selling the vodka under the French pronunciation of the name, "Smirnoff." The new product was a success, and by the end of the 1930s it was being exported to most European countries. A branch was opened in Paris in 1925. Today it is produced in 19 countries. Smirnoff is an ultra-smooth vodka with a classic flavor and is one of the biggest vodka brands worldwide.
The world's best-selling distilled spirit continues the tradition of Pierre Smirnoff, supplier to the Russian Imperial Court, 1886-1917.