What Is The Strongest Alcoholic Drink You Can Actually Buy?

Some drinks aren't meant to be sipped straight, and Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany Vodka is one of them. Clocking in at 192 proof — or 96% alcohol by volume – this clear Polish spirit has been crowned the world's strongest, weightiest liquor. While vodka is a commonly ranked favorite type of spirit among drinkers, Spirytus is best used as part of a well-informed repertoire of cocktails and the occasional boozy dessert.

"Spirytus rektyfikowany" means rectified spirit, a term aptly used to describe alcohol that is intentionally distilled many times to create a drink with a higher alcohol content. That's exactly how Spirytus is made, and it can take several months for the finished distillation to be ready for bottling and sale. Though records of the strong sipper date back to 16th-century medicinal use, drinkers took to the libation in the 19th century. Now, this alcoholic beverage is predominantly used to make other drinks, like flavored vodkas and punchy cocktails.

After you've stocked your home bar with a bottle of the stuff, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the kinds of drinks you can mix with Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany Vodka. If you have tasted Everclear, you have an idea of what this alcohol can offer. Both Everclear and Golden Grain 190 fall behind this Polish vodka in terms of strength, measuring 95% alcohol by volume and listed at 190 proof. Drink any of these neat, and you'll most likely feel a burn instead of enjoying the experience.

Though the alcoholic content of Spirytus seems like it would deliver a punchy wallop, the tasting profile is surprisingly neutral and smooth. As a result, home brewers can get creative with various fruit infusions and creative concoctions made with different flavors of liqueurs. The resulting mixtures can be sipped or added to desserts to build interesting layers of flavor. You can use Spirytus Vodka to pour a feisty Moscow Mule or White Russian, but you'll want to adjust the ingredients accordingly, as you won't need as much as the stuff as you would pour from an 80 or 100-proof vodka bottle.