The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word DISTILLERIES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
D
I
S
T
I
L
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E
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "They raise the spirits" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case they raise the spirits = distilleries.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 DISTILLERIES mean?
DISTILLERIES noun- A place where distillation takes place, especially the distillation of alcoholic spirits.
- A company that distills alcohol.
- The process of distilling alcohol.