Does Vodka Have A Smell? (Explained!)

Vodkas are known to be colorless. But are they odorless too? If you wish to know the answer, stay to learn about vodka.

So does vodka have a smell? This rumor has been circulating to the public, but this is not true. Though the smell is not very strong compared to other alcohol, you can still smell vodka.

Vodka is produced by distilling it. If the distillation is done, the vodka will be left with only alcohol and water. As a result, the vodka will be odorless, tasteless, and colorless.

But people are curious whether vodka does have a smell. Let us find out.

Is Vodka Odorless?

Yes, vodka is odorless. Based on the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives or ATF, vodka is indeed an odorless spirit. Vodka is also said to be colorless and even a tasteless spirit. 

Vodka has earned its reputation, a good one, because vodkas are preferred to drink by those who do not like the other types of alcoholic drinks. If you smell vodka straight from the bottle, you will most likely not smell anything at all. This is what they call odorless.  

Why Does Vodka Not Have A Smell?

The reason for this is still unclear. Maybe we can leave this to the manufacturers of vodka. What people know is that vodkas are odorless. 

Vodka is produced traditionally. It is prepared from the cheapest grain that is available at hand. Vodka is usually made from starch. 

But other polish vodkas are produced from potatoes. There are also times that they would use molasses. The ingredient of vodka is just pure alcohol or ethanol and plain water. 

You can compare vodka to whiskey; they are pretty similar to each other. Whiskey and vodka are produced from a fermented mash. The difference they have is that the vodka is distilled. 

The vodkas are produced by being distilled at very high proof. If you distill a vodka with one hundred ninety proof, the result will be the disappearance of the flavor. As a result, there will only be alcohol and water left. 

This is why people say that to have the best vodka, it must be colorless, odorless, and tasteless. This can also be the reason why it does not have a smell. 

They said that the more vodka is distilled, the better they are. If vodka is good, it means it is odorless.

Related: Can You Put Vodka In A Humidifier?

What Does Vodka Smell Like On Your Breath?

It smells of alcohol. As mentioned, after distilling the vodka a lot of times and distilling it with a very high proof, all that is left is alcohol or ethanol and water. With that, vodka will smell alcohol on your breath.

If you also drink a lot of vodkas, you will smell stronger than before. Some people say, though, that the smell of vodka in your breath is not as strong as the smell of other alcohol. But just because the alcohol is not so strong when you drink vodka does not mean that your breath will not smell.

Can You Smell Vodka On Someone’s Breath?

Yes, you can smell vodka on someone’s breath. The smell is not strong, though if you compare it to other alcoholic drinks, vodka can be smelled on the breath of somebody. 

If a person drinks with only a minimal amount, it might be hard to smell something on the breath of that someone. But if the person will drink and consume alcohol, you can smell it in their breath. Again, the smell is not that strong, but you can smell something.

smelling vodka

How Long Does Vodka Stay On Your Breath?

Vodka can stay in someone’s breath for more than twelve hours. Many people are unaware of this. After drinking, they will wait about one hour before they drive. 

The person will go home driving, not knowing that the alcohol can stay in their system and their breath for about twelve hours and even more than that. Drinking vodka can make your breath smell like alcohol a couple of times. This can be explained scientifically. 

While a person can consume alcohol quickly, the alcohol cannot be burned quickly. The alcohol is not eliminated fast. They have provided a rate of burn-off for about 0.015 grams in an hour. 

If a person consumes vodka and reaches 0.18 grams, the alcohol in that person’s body will then be metabolized in twelve hours. So if you are planning to drive and you have just been drinking, it is wise to stay put because before you are alcohol-free, in the system and your breath, you must wait twelve hours or more.

Can Cops Smell Vodka On Your Breath?

Yes, cops can smell vodka on your breath. Everybody can smell vodka on your breath. While vodkas are known to be odorless, when consumed, it has a smell.

As mentioned, the smell of vodka in your breath will be there for about twelve hours. Many people would give only a few hours after drinking vodka before they go driving or go anywhere. People believe cops cannot smell their alcohol breath because they have given an hour to let their body and mouth rest. 

This is not effective, though. You might consume vodka very quickly, but you cannot banish it quickly inside your body, too. So you must wait for at least twelve hours, and you can even give a few hours so that your body can be alcohol-free and you will encounter no problem with the cops.

How Do You Get Rid Of Vodka Breath?

There is no haste way to get rid of the vodka in your breath. It would be best to give your system enough time so that the liver can process all the poison in your system. So here is what you can so that you can remove the vodka on your breath. 

The first thing to do is wait until your BAC is zero. If all the alcohol has left your body, you must then take a shower. Do not shower too soon because if you do so, the smell of the alcohol will come out from your sweat. 

Next is to brush your teeth very thoroughly. You can even floss too.  You must brush your teeth very well so that you can remove all the smell of the alcohol. 

If you do a mouthwash, do not use alcohol-based mouthwash. This can invite the alcohol in your breath. 

You can chew some gum. This will increase your saliva flow, and this can freshen your breath.

Summary

In summary, vodka is known to be odorless. If you smell vodka, you might not get any smell at all. However, if you consume vodka, there will be some smell. 

Vodka is distilled a lot of times. After its distillation process, there will only be alcohol and water left. With that, the result is tasteless, colorless, and odorless vodka. 

But if the vodka is consumed, it can smell something on your breath. The smell is not stronger, though, if you compare it to other alcoholic drinks. But the smell is there. 

It might not be too strong, but the smell is there. To get rid of the smell, you have to allow all the alcohol to leave your body, brush your teeth, and take a bath thoroughly.

Resources

Image credits – Canva

[1] Vodka on Wikipedia

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Hey, I'm John and I'm a lover of good drinks and food. Especially the drinking kind. My favorite drinks are vodka and whiskey. Anyway, this passion has led me to create this blog of mine about all things drinking. Read more