The Whole World Drinks Smirnoff, New Research Says

Smirnoff tends to elicit some strong reactions among drinkers: some love it, others hate it. But it turns out the vodka brand is more popular than you think. Thanks to new numbers from the International Wine and Spirits Research group, Smirnoff is once again the world's most popular spirit brand. 

Smirnoff sold more than half a million cases worldwide, the IWSR reports. The next most popular brand of spirits, Bacardi, didn't even come close: Smirnoff outsold it by half a million cases. Smirnoff is sold in 5 countries, spanning a large region of the world. Smirnoff also took the top prize in 2011. 

It's not just Smirnoff that dominates world spirits sales, it's vodka in general. Of the 50 top spirit brands of the world, 25 percent of them were vodka brands. Absolut vodka made the no. 4 spot on the list, as well as a Ukranian favorite, Khortytsa, at no. 11. 

The top-selling spirit companies on the list were Diageo, with brands like Johnnie Walker and Bailey's, and Pernod Ricard.