The Hands-Down Best Smirnoff Ice Flavor Outshines The Original

If you came of age in the '90s and early aughts, you might remember Smirnoff, the generically citrus-flavored malt liquor that made the rounds in college dorms and backyard parties. Before hard seltzers and canned cocktails, there was Smirnoff Ice. Even its parent company, Diageo, refers to the drink as the "OG" of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. Thankfully, while the youthful yesteryears of Smirnoff Ice challenges are behind us, the spirit brand has also matured with the times. Today, there's an entire range of flavors beyond the original lemon-lime, as well as zero-sugar offerings and variety packs. 

In our ranking of popular Smirnoff Ice flavors, raspberry earned the number one spot, beating out the original and 14 other flavors. Now, the appeal of the raspberry-flavored drink isn't subtle, but that's exactly the point. Our taster describes the flavor as distinctly artificial, but in a comforting, I've-had-this-fake-fruit-before kind of way. No one drinks a Smirnoff Ice expecting the taste of sun-ripened raspberries, but the drink wins for being juicy, fruity, and easy to drink. If you're a fan of sugary, berry-forward sparkling drinks, this might just work for you.

Raspberry also has an advantage over the others in that it's not trying to be a simulacrum of other, more ineffable flavors, like "Cosmic SnowCone" or their "Red, White, and Berry" flavor. Our taster admits she wouldn't reach for the drink regularly, but it's an easygoing malt beverage that doesn't require any mixing or preparation.

We're not the only ones who would pick Smirnoff Ice Raspberry out of the variety pack. Its ratings for a six-pack online at Walmart also rank favorably. One customer commented: "This drink is crisp and refreshing. Great for hot summer days! The raspberry is particularly good because it has some sweetness and tartness that mix together to make the perfect drink." Another added: "My all time favorite Smirnoff ice flavor on the market. It's sweet, lightly carbonated and has a really good (artificial) raspberry flavor." Of course, not everyone is a fan. One customer claimed "it tastes like cough syrup," while another noted, "I used to like the product, but honestly it's started to taste like some awful tasting syrup with alcohol."

While the sugary, soda-like drink isn't for everyone, a new marketing push is hoping to draw in younger fans. While you might recall the classic Smirnoff Ice of the 2000s and its distinct glass bottle, the brand recently made the move to cans, another sign that it's trying to compete with cooler, more contemporary brands. The latest self-aware branding also shows that Smirnoff isn't afraid to poke fun at its less-than-stellar reputation by leaning into its Y2K nostalgia and memes. The company is no doubt hoping the malt liquor's lighter ABV and daytime drinking trends might appeal to Gen Z, but the competition remains fierce in the RTD space.