Where is Smirnoff vodka made?

Someone told me there's a factory in Birmingham in the UK; is this true?

Secondly, what's it made from? Is it Corn?

Hi ach,
   
The Smirnoff Vodka fact sheet from the Diageo plc website contains
infomation on the brand's history, production and other interesting
facts. On page 2 the production process is explained.
   
PRODUCTION
> Neutral spirit (alcohol) is the primary ingredient of any vodka. We
start with the best available (mostly grain neutral spirit) and
improve it throughout the process
> Many impurities are removed before filtration by distilling the
alcohol for a second time. Distillation takes place in high column
plate stills in a process lasting 24 hours
> The neutral spirit becomes pure ethyl alcohol which is both strong
and bitter. The alcohol is blended with demineralised water in the
correct proportions to achieve a strength of 115% proof (57% alc/vol).
This is how SMIRNOFF ® is stored until final blending
> The filtration process is unparalleled in the vodka industry. The
blended spirit is charcoaled for up to eight full hours using seven
tons of hardwood charcoal, which is heated in excess of 1000 degrees
Fahrenheit to absorb impurities
> Further demineralised water is added to reduce the vodka to bottling strength.
Samples from each tank are scrupulously analyzed for quality and consistency
> After passing through an online filter for final filtration, the vodka is bottled
http://www.diageo.co.uk/documentengine.asp?id=96
(PDF document - 444kb)
  
Source page:
http://www.diageo.co.uk/pageengine.asp?status_id=3000&page_id=906&site_id=2&section_id=7
  
  
  
Company description:
  
"Diageo plc is a beverage alcohol business with a portfolio of
international brands. The Company was formed by the merger of Grand
Metropolitan Public Limited Company and Guinness PLC. As a result of
the merger, Grand Metropolitan Public Limited Company became a wholly
owned subsidiary of Guinness PLC, and Guinness PLC was renamed Diageo
plc. The Company brews and markets beer and produces and sells wine.
It produces and distributes a wide range of brands, including Smirnoff
vodka, Johnnie Walker Scotch whiskies, Guinness stout, Baileys
Original Irish Cream liqueur, J&B Scotch whisky, Captain Morgan rum
and Tanqueray gin."
http://www.nyse.com/listed/deo.html
  
  
  
Some background information:
  
"Although named after Vladimir Smirnov (note: Smirnov, not Smirnoff),
this brand was developed in the United States by Rudolph Kukhesh, who
obtained the rights and the license to sell vodka produced by Smirnov
distilleries (then located in Constantinople [Istanbul, Turkey], Lvov
[Poland] and Paris, France). Smirnov sold licensing rights because he
went broke. Kukhesh (who changed his name to Kunett after moving to
the United States), started distilling vodka in America in the year
immediately after Prohibition ended (1934), changing the name of his
firm to Pierre Smirnoff & Fls. He didn't have much luck with his
business, later selling the brand and license to Heublein. Heublein,
once headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, was acquired in recent
years by the England-based beverage giant Diageo PLC."
http://www.epinions.com/content_75010313860
  
  
   
Where is Smirnoff made?
  
"Five of Diageo's global priority brands ? Johnnie Walker and J&B
Scotch whiskies, Smirnoff vodka,
Tanqueray gin and Captain Morgan rum ? are produced in Scotland.
(..)
  
Spirits Supply, Scotland has responsibility for Diageo's entire UK
spirits production, including the
distillation and maturation of all Diageo's Scotch whisky brands and
production of a significant proportion
of our gin and vodka brands. Spirits Supply, Scotland is based at
Carsebridge, Alloa and has employees
across Scotland at maltings, malt distilleries, grain distilleries,
warehouses, cooperages and office sites.
Diageo operates four maltings: Burghead and Roseisle in Morayshire; Glen Ord
in Ross-shire, and Port Ellen Maltings on the Isle of Islay. Total malt capacity is
160,000 tonnes a year. Malt is supplied to a variety of specifications to both
Diageo and other distilleries. For example, as part of the Islay Concordat
between the whisky companies, Port Ellen Maltings supplies malt to all eight
operating distilleries on Islay and Jura.
Diageo owns Port Dundas Distillery, Glasgow and Cameronbridge Distillery, Fife
and has a 50% share in North British Distillery, Edinburgh. Total grain distilling
capacity is approximately 140 million litres a year.
Port Dundas is dedicated to producing Scotch grain whisky, but Cameronbridge
also produces grain neutral spirit for use in vodka and gin production. The white
spirits complex at Cameronbridge can produce 30 million litres of vodka and
gin a year and is Diageo?s largest white spirits facility. It is also
the sole global
supply centre for Tanqueray gin, one of our global priority brands.
(..)
   
The Leven plant is primarily a white spirit packaging site for major brands
including Smirnoff vodka, Tanqueray and Gordon's gins. Captain Morgan rum
and speciality brands such as Archers schnapps and Pimm?s, as well as a number
of Scotch whisky brands, including the Classic Malts, are also packaged at the
site. It operates 17 lines and produces around 14 million cases of spirits a year.
A major investment in Leven introduced a new ready to drink bottling line,
which came on stream in July 2002. The plant will produce around nine million
cases of ready to drink brands such as Smirnoff Ice and Archers Aqua a year.
(..)"
http://www.diageo.com/html/diageocorprep03/files/scotland.pdf
(see page 9, 10 & 11)
  
  
  
An informative review of Smirnoff vodka by MouthShut.com reviewer "just-did-it" 
http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/21623-1.html
  
  
  
I hope you find this information helpful!
  
Best regards,
  
jackburton-ga
   
  
   
Google search terms: smirnoff vodka, "diageo plc", smirnoff distilleries

That'll do nicely; thank you.

A