The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ESPRESSOS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
S
P
R
E
S
S
O
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "strong drinks" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case strong drinks = espressos.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 ESPRESSOS mean?
ESPRESSOS noun- A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee.
- A drink that includes espresso as an ingredient.