The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word TODDIES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
T
O
D
D
I
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Drinks" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case drinks = toddies.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 TODDIES mean?
TODDIES noun- A drink made from alcoholic liquor mixed with sugar, spice and hot water.
- The sweet sap from any of several tropical trees fermented to make an alcoholic drink.