SMIRNOFF™ Vodka, the Vodka of the Original Moscow Mule, Declares March 3 to be National Moscow Mule Day

The Vodka that Invented the Moscow Mule Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Cocktail by Toasting to Another 75 Years

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Oct 20, 2016, 09:49 ET

NORWALK, Conn., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tortilla chips. Tap dance. Cheese pizza. Buttons. There seems to be a national day for everything… except the country's most searched cocktail: the Moscow Mule. Food and beverage trends come and go, but no vodka cocktail is more iconic than the Moscow Mule. Today, 75 years after SMIRNOFF™ vodka invented the original Moscow Mule in 1941, the extremely popular vodka cocktail finally will have its own day.

SMIRNOFF vodka, the brand that invented the Moscow Mule in 1941, celebrates the classic cocktail's 75th anniversary at an event in Los Angeles, CA on October 19, 2016 (photo by Jesse Grant)

To commemorate the Moscow Mule's significance in cocktail history and its impact on cocktail culture, SMIRNOFF™ vodka and Foodimentary, the official source for all food holidays, are declaring March 3^rd as National Moscow Mule Day. SMIRNOFF™ vodka announced the date last night as the country's best-selling vodka brand welcomed guests to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the Moscow Mule with a one-of-a-kind, immersive cocktail party that took guests back in time to 1941 to explain how the cocktail became a pop-culture sensation. The event took place just miles away from where the cocktail was first invented on Hollywood's Sunset Strip.

The date of National Moscow Mule Day – March 3 or "3-3" – is significant. The Original Moscow Mule was crafted with three ingredients: SMIRNOFF™ No. 21 vodka, premium ginger beer and lime. As the story goes, there were also three key people involved in the cocktail's creation: the first, John G. Martin, had trouble selling his SMIRNOFF™ vodka at a time when brown spirits were king. The second, Jack Morgan, owner of a popular pub on the Sunset Strip, could not convince his patrons to try his ginger beer. The third, a woman named Ozeline Schmidt, provided the copper mugs, the perfect vessels for enjoying the zesty creation they called the Moscow Mule. The trio came together to creatively combine their crafts and simultaneously revolutionized cocktail culture with the Moscow Mule.

"The Moscow Mule is a timeless cocktail, also recently the most searched cocktail, and an important part of SMIRNOFF™ vodka's history so we felt the cocktail deserved its own holiday beginning March 3, 2017," said Jay Sethi, Vice President of Marketing, SMIRNOFF™. "The cocktail's simplicity of three quality ingredients provides the perfect canvas for anyone over the age of 21 to create and enjoy responsibly, especially on National Moscow Mule Day."

On March 3, 2017, and every "3-3" to come, commemorate National Moscow Mule Day by raising a frosty copper mug and toast to #TheOriginalMule made with SMIRNOFF™ vodka. Remember that smart choices are as important now as they were 75 years ago when the cocktail was created; make sure you've planned a safe way home after enjoying Smirnoff Moscow Mules.

SMIRNOFF™ vodka is the world's best-selling premium vodka by volume. As a tasteless and odorless vodka, SMIRNOFF™ No. 21's mixability from its production – ten times filtered and triple distilled – highlights the flavor of the ginger beer and lime and remains the vodka of choice for the Moscow Mule.

About SMIRNOFF
The SMIRNOFF™ brand, the world's number-one selling vodka, traces its heritage back to 19th century Russia. Products from the SMIRNOFF™ brand have always been known for quality and are enjoyed responsibly in 130 countries around the world. For more information, log on to www.smirnoff.com.

About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jim Sias
Diageo
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646-223-2305

Jenna Mitchell
Taylor
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212-714-5713

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SOURCE SMIRNOFF