Liquor

For the sweetened and flavored alcoholic beverages, see Liqueur. For other uses, see Liquor (disambiguation).

An old whiskey still
A display of various liquors in a supermarket
Some single-drink liquor bottles available in Germany

Liquor (/ˈlɪkər/ LIK-ər) or distilled beverages are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include spirit, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. While the word liquor ordinarily refers to distilled alcoholic spirits rather than beverages produced by fermentation alone,[1] it can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any alcoholic beverage (or even non-alcoholic products of distillation or various other liquids).[2]

The distillation process concentrates the liquid to increase its alcohol by volume.[3] As liquors contain significantly more alcohol (ethanol) than other alcoholic drinks, they are considered "harder". In North America, the term hard liquor is sometimes used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term spirits is more commonly used in the United Kingdom. Some examples of liquors include vodka, rum, gin and tequila. Liquors are often aged in barrels, such as for the production of brandy and whiskey, or are infused with flavorings to form flavored liquors, such as absinthe.

Like other alcoholic drinks, liquor is typically consumed for the psychoactive effects of alcohol. Liquor may be consumed on its own (i.e. "neat"), typically in amounts of around 50 millilitres (1.7 US fluid ounces) per served drink; or frequently mixed with other ingredients to form a cocktail. In an undiluted form, distilled beverages are often slightly sweet and bitter and typically impart a burning mouthfeel with an odor derived from the alcohol and the production and aging processes; the exact flavor varies between different varieties of liquor and the different impurities they impart.

Rapid consumption of a large amount of liquor can cause severe alcohol intoxication or alcohol poisoning, which can be fatal either due to acute biochemical damage to vital organs (e.g. alcoholic hepatitis and pancreatitis), or due to trauma (e.g. falls or motor vehicle accidents) caused by alcohol-induced delirium. Consistent consumption of liquor over time correlates with higher mortality and other harmful health effects, even when compared to other alcoholic beverages.[4][5]

  1. ^ "Liquor". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Liquor". Collins Dictionary. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  3. ^ "distilled spirit – alcoholic beverage". Encyclopædia Britannica. December 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Korotayev, Andrey; Khaltourina, Daria; Meshcherina, Kira; Zamiatnina, Elena (2018). "Distilled Spirits Overconsumption as the Most Important Factor of Excessive Adult Male Mortality in Europe". Alcohol and Alcoholism. 53 (6): 742–752. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agy054. PMID 30113627.
  5. ^ Klatsky, A. L. (September 15, 2003). "Wine, Liquor, Beer, and Mortality". American Journal of Epidemiology. 158 (6). Oxford University Press (OUP): 585–595. doi:10.1093/aje/kwg184. ISSN 0002-9262. PMID 12965884.