Have you ever walked into your local liquor store and wondered, without reading the labels of each and every bottle there, which is the strongest alcohol they sell? Which would let you get the most bang for your buck? Which to slip into your dates drink to ‘loosen her up?’ (By the way, don’t do that.)
Everclear – As anyone who has ever imbibed Everclear will tell you, there is no wonder it made the top of the list. Available in potency up to 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof), this stuff is banned from sale in 13 states in the U.S. However, in those states you can buy the weaker, 151 proof variety. Short of home-distilled sour-mash moonshine, you don’t legally get much stronger than Everclear. The best part? Everclear is flavorless, like good vodka is supposed to be. It is odorless as well, so it can basically be added to any drink or cocktail to give it one hell of a kick in the ass.

Devil Springs Vodka – Typical vodkas, in keeping with the Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish vodka traditions, is typically proofed somewhere between 76 (38% alcohol by volume) and 100 (50% by volume). New Jersey decided to say ‘Fuck you, tradition’ and came out with a rather rebellious 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume) vodka, Devil’s Springs Vodka. According to their sources, they claim it is a great proof for flavoring with your own preference, then diluting it with 50% water, bringing it back down to vodka standards. We at Regretful Morning say: Bite Me. (Please note, that ‘Me’ is collective). We’d rather flavor it, then drink the 160 proof delight ourselves, nice and strong, you know, to show those Russians just what kind of pussies they are.

Absinthe – Absinthe, aka the Green Fairy, comes in at number three on our list. Banned from sale in the United States since 1913, it took a Frenchman with a desire to succeed and affinity for being uncharacteristically unFrench by not giving up to get this ban overturned in 2007. Made from the Wormwood herb, alleged to possess psychedelic properties, this green liquor had gained a cult following, thanks primarily to its banning and the nickname. Ranking at 144 proof, this potent potable is typically consumed mixed with water. The water is generally poured over an Absinthe spoon with a sugar cube on it to take away the bite. The reason this drink beats out some of the 150 proof spirits is because, due to its cult following, and the hallucinogenic properties attributed to it, it will both kick your ass, take your name, and proceed to kick your name’s ass.
Bacardi 151 – This 151 proof rum is used for making rum-based cocktails stronger, and lighting your shots on fire before downing them. Not coincidentally, Bacardi is the only manufacturer of strong rums to employ a flame arresting cap on every bottle. If, however, you appreciate a strong, healthy tradition of rich, strong drinks, than you’d enjoy something more along the lines of STROH Rum, a 160 proof Austrian rum, who totes the ability to spread the Austrian rum traditions.
Sierra Silver Tequila – Beaten out by the Bacardi 151 by exactly ½% alcohol by volume, here’s the final entry on our list. Sierra Silver, aka “The Rock That bites” claims to be the heart of Mexico. While the bottle DOES have some crazy, kick-ass looking sombrero for a lid, anything that’s 150 proof can’t claim to be the heart of anything, nor the stomach. That much high octane juice inside you, anywhere, is likely to cause spontaneous awesome, bouts of a mysteriously sexy Mexican accent, and chronic sexy parties. That’s right, we’re officially nominating the Sierra Silver as the sexiest high-proof drink out there because, in addition to being a tequila that actually will lay you out the next morning, it’s got a fancy hat.

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May 31, 2009
#1
Absinthe is no longer banned in the United States.
November 24, 2009
#2
Actually, the key effect about Absenthe is the amount of wormwood. The U.S. only allows 16 milligrams of wormwood. The original Absinthe…which Gogan, Mark Twain, Picaso, Ernest Hemingway, and so many others that drank Absinthe, drank it with 40-50% milligrams of wormwood. Ironically the FDA banned any Absinthe with more than 16% wormwood…yet sage oil contains 50 milligrams of wormwood. and it is allowed in the U.S.
I’ve had Absinthe Original from The Czech Republic…and no, it won’t kick your ass. More like smoking Opium. Incredibly mellow.
May 31, 2009
#3
Yea… it said that…
“it took a Frenchman with a desire to succeed and affinity for being uncharacteristically unFrench by not giving up to get this ban overturned in 2007.”
May 31, 2009
#4
As someone who drinks absinthe on a regular basis I can’t fathom why you would put it on this list. It doesn’t really have that high of a percentage, and despite its alleged hallucinogenic properties, I think that almost anything else has more of a kick. I drink absinthe to help me write papers for school!
May 31, 2009
#5
The U.S. ‘Absinthe’ isn’t the real thing, it’s shitty and does not contain wormwood (thus no psychedelic properties).
May 31, 2009
#6
U.S. absinthe does have wormwood but doesn’t have much thujone, the psychoactive ingredient that got it banned in the first place. They selectively breed the plants here to reduce thujone levels. There has been some debate over the “proper” amount of thujone to have in absinthe.
Apparently the American made variety actually fits more closely to classic absinthe recipes than the “ultra-high” thujone level absinthe popular in the EU. Supposedly the taste of U.S. absinthe is identical to EU absinthe. The only difference is the number of little green fairy that you get from drinking.
May 31, 2009
#7
will u buy me a plane ticket?
May 31, 2009
#8
Absinthe in the U.S. has the same amount of Wormwood as in the EU and basically the same amount as in the Pre-ban absinthe of the Belle Epoque. I grow Wormwood for absinthe distillation which is the same Artemisia absinthium used in the best French and Swiss absinthe.
For real absinthe information, visit the website dedicated to absinthe information http://www.wormwoodsociety.org
December 7, 2009
#9
Uhhmmm…when you say EU, I’m assuming you think The UK is EU.
Well you’re right about the UK having the same as the U.S. as far as Thujone, you are correct.
But the UK has websites that let you access Absinthe with more Thujone.
I’ve had it. It’s like smoking opium.
Very expensive, but shipped in 10 days in a brown paper box.
http://www.absinthe.bz/store/absinthe35.html?mv_pc=wwwstore
May 31, 2009
#10
Yeah, 190 proof Everclear. I am knocking down a liter of it from South Carolina. Yee Haw!
June 1, 2009
#11
What about Stroh? Last time I checked that was 160 proof, mighty tasty stuff.
June 1, 2009
#12
In Japan I had a Long Island Ice Tea that used the following:
1 part Everclear Vodka
1 part Sierra Silver Tequila
1 part Barcardi 151 Rum
1 part Junipero Dry Gin
1 part Red Wind
some Lemon Extract
Possible the strongest drink, and guaranteed to get the job done.
June 1, 2009
#13
Silver isn’t different than any tequila when it comes to percentage. it’s actually between 35% – 40% and is a big sissy when you compare it to these other drinks.
as you can see here http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=1687 or here http://www.teqmex.com/sierra-silver-tequila-23-p.asp
June 1, 2009
#14
Hapsburg red label absinthe from Bulgaria comes in at 85% alcohol by volume, or 170 proof. It’s not Everclear or surgical grade ethanol, but still strips the mucous membranes from your throat pretty well.
June 1, 2009
#15
Official:
TTB’S POLICY REGARDING THE USE OF THE TERM “ABSINTHE”
Thujone-Free.
We approve the use of the term “absinthe” on the label of a distilled spirits product and in related advertisements only if the product is “thujone-free” pursuant to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulation at 21 CFR 172.510.
Some absinthe in Europe is 100mg thujone; America 0 Europe 100
June 1, 2009
#16
I agree that is a wicked hat
June 1, 2009
#17
for those that were saying Absinthe is weak and not worthy to be here, i have seen in several places (france, andorra and spain mainly) a huge variety of “Absinthe” wether it is true “Absinthe” or not im not sure, but the had some ranging from around 40% up to 85-90% (there was only one 90%) and ontop of that you could get it with a stick in the bottle that had been soaked int THC (the good stuff in canabis) to help enhance the psychedelic element. also came in a range of colors, black being the strongest and blue the weakest, the traditional green fairy Absinthe was 2nd or third weakest from what i remember
June 1, 2009
#18
Elixir végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse at 142 proof is also not a bad choice.
June 1, 2009
#19
I love long islands! Good Shit!
June 1, 2009
#20
There is no debate as to the thujone content of vintage absinthe. It has been scientifically proven and published: http://www.thujone.info. Basically, it may as well all be zero, because it has also been scientifically proven (clinical study) that human subjects can’t tell the difference anyway.
Also, there is no proof to the notion that thujone has any psychoactive qualities, so proposing otherwise is a useless exercise. Thujone was used as a scapegoat to demonize absinthe over a century ago. Thujone and myths associated with it survive only as marketing tool to support inferior brands of absinthe (basically flavored vodka) that have no other merit, nothing more.
December 7, 2009
#21
Yeah right.
That’s why the U.S. and Canada and the UK will only let Absinthe in the U.S. with only 16 mg of Thujone. Think again.
June 1, 2009
#22
You miss a lot of nice things on that list – Stroh for starters. 80%vol is not uncommon when we talk about tasty Stroh
June 1, 2009
#23
“Basically, it may as well all be zero”
It IS ZERO – a big fat nothing – if you buy in America, so I guess you are happy.
Alcohol and thujone are opposites – as alcohol is a GABA agonist and thujone is an antagonist. Alcohol stimulates the production of this GABA neurotransmitter and causes drowsiness and sleep. Thujone on the other hand prevents alcohol from performing that functiom. Real absinthe is actually a ‘speedball’, it’s constituents promote the production of GABA and open its receptors, while at the same time closing those receptors off. This is why the lucidity of an absinthe drinker contrasts to the state of normal drunkness and the experience has been described using the metaphor of the green fairy.
June 1, 2009
#24
Poitín deserves a mention, can be up to 95% alcohol (I think about 80% would be average).
June 1, 2009
#25
I’ve got to love the latent racism and the “oops, I didn’t really just suggest date-rape. tee-hee” in this article. And by love I mean, just write about the booze. If you can’t generate readers by telling frat boys and red necks how to get drunk faster then no crutch in the world is going to keep you propped. It’s an easy crutch all on it’s own.
June 1, 2009
#26
Inner Circle Black is .4% stronger than Bacardi 151. http://www.innercirclerum.com.au/
June 2, 2009
#27
shopped
June 2, 2009
#28
strol rum!!
June 10, 2009
#29
personally i like Bacardi based cocktails
June 11, 2009
#30
In the United States, a rectified spirit labeled as Spirytus Stawski is imported from Poland by Stawski Imports of Chicago, Illinois.[1] One can also purchase (at least in the Chicago area) rectified spirits with the original Polmos lable. Both are available in a 96% ABV (192 proof) and in a 76% ABV variety (152 proof).
June 22, 2009
#31
This phrase is simply matchless
, very much it is pleasant to me)))
August 25, 2009
#32
Have you tried Aftershock? That shit is lethal.
November 2, 2009
#33
Thats cute, people from this country should try Stroh 80, its kinda amazing, and I have seen it bring multiple Bachelor parties to their demise.
November 4, 2009
#34
Ladies and gentlemen, why don’t all just stop arguing and drink?
TO YOUR HEALTH!
December 7, 2009
#35
Worm wood and Thujone are the same.
Thujone comes from wormwood.
In the U.S. Thujone (Wormwood) is limited to 16 mg.
You have to buy the real stuff with 35-60 mg Thujone Online.
December 8, 2009
#36
You’ve had “Absinthe Original from The Czech Republic”??
then you haven’t had Absinthe, mate… you’ve had dreck.., that stuff is complete shite
November 1, 2010
#37
hates jews