Tag: Illicit alcohol

While methanol is a natural byproduct of fermentation, commercial whisky production methods are specifically designed to remove it, ensuring the final product is safe. The presence of harmful levels of methanol in alcohol is typically a concern with illegally produced, unregulated spirits, not professionally distilled whisky.

According to Doctors Without Borders, thousands of people are poisoned by methanol every year, with fatality rates ranging from 20% to 40% in outbreaks. Though commercial alcoholic beverages are regulated to contain safe, negligible amounts, illicitly produced alcohol poses a severe risk of high, toxic concentrations of methanol.