Sailors took in the final drinks, alcoholic spirits (9)

I believe the answer is:

absinthes

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'alcoholic spirits' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I can't understand how one could define the other.

'sailors took in the final drinks' is the wordplay.
'sailors' becomes 'abs' (AB is short for able seaman).
'took' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'final' says to take the final letters.
The final letter of 'drinks' is 's'.
'abs'+'in'+'the'+'s'='ABSINTHES'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Another definition for absinthes that I've seen is " Drinks".)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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