What's The Strongest Alcohol In The World You're Legally Allowed To Drink?

A strong cocktail made with a high-alcohol spirit is plenty for many people, even if you're a rockstar — Freddie Mercury's favorite cocktail was a stiff drink, the vodka tonic. However, there are far stronger, lesser-known liquors containing more than double the amount of alcohol in vodka or other popular spirits. Standard vodkas are at least 80 proof, or 40% ABV, which stands for alcohol by volume. That's plenty strong, but barely compares to Spirytus Rektyfikowany, the strongest liquor in the world that you're legally allowed to drink.

A similarly high-alcohol drink you may have heard of is Everclear, known for its extremely high 95% ABV, which is equal to 190 proof. It's so strong, in fact, that some states in the U.S. have passed laws making it illegal to sell Everclear or other types of booze at 190 proof level. Some set the bar even lower, with 75% ABV or higher being banned. Believe it or not, Spirytus Rektyfikowany is even stronger.

This grain alcohol is 192 proof ... a whopping 96% ABV. At that strength, it's nearly pure ethanol. The intoxicating spirit is made in Poland, and the way it's produced is responsible for its high alcohol content. Spirytus Rektyfikowany means "rectified spirit" in Polish, and the liquor starts off as a fermented mix of grains, yeast, and water, which then undergoes distillation to separate water from the resulting alcohol. Each subsequent distillation (or rectification) yields a stronger spirit by reducing the water-to-alcohol ratio. Spirytus is distilled seven times before the heady concoction is ready to bottle.

Spirytus Rektyfikowany has a clean and neutral flavor and smell. It's not intended for imbibing neat, however, as its smooth taste can be deceptively dangerous and cause alcohol poisoning. If you ever get your hands on a bottle, it should be treated as a concentrate to be diluted or used in mixed drinks. It's ideal for herbal liqueurs, and can also be used to make homemade limoncello or blended into a classic Moscow mule cocktail recipe.

Records indicate that Spirytus Rektyfikowany has been used for medicinal purposes since the 16th century. Its production was under a government monopoly during Poland's communist years (1952 to 1989), when people used it as a base to make inexpensive, regular-strength vodka. It found a new rush of popularity during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as an ingredient used to make hand sanitizer when the disinfectant became hard to find.

If you live in a U.S. state where overproofed liquor is banned, you'll have a tough time getting your hands on a bottle. Spirytus is currently illegal to sell in California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Furthermore, alcohol that is over 140 proof is prohibited by the TSA, so you can't sneak it in via carry-on or checked luggage.