March 1, 2006— Following a 17th-century recipe, one of the eight artisanal whiskey producers on the tiny Scottish isle of Islay will produce a dozen barrels of 184-proof whiskey Monday, the company announced.
That's 92 percent alcohol, which is about as strong as whiskey can get without being sold in a pharmacy.
"The first taste affects all the members of the body," a 1695 description of the elixir reads. "Two spoonfuls of this last liquor is a sufficient dose — if any man should exceed this, it would presently stop his breath, and endanger his life."