The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 3 letter word ARRACK (+)
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
R
R
A
C
K
(
+
)
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "spirit" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case spirit = arrack (+).The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ARRACK (+) mean?
ARRACK (+) noun- A clear, unsweetened aniseed-flavoured alcoholic drink, produced and consumed primarily in the Middle East
- The toothbrush tree, Salvadora persica.