Crossword Genius

Having consumed whiskey, revolutionary number one is drunk, proverbially (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

newt

'one is drunk proverbially' is the definition.
(ref to the phrase 'drunk as a newt')

'having consumed whiskey revolutionary number' is the wordplay.
'having consumed' is an insertion indicator.
'whiskey' becomes 'w' (alpha bravo charlie delta ...).
'revolutionary' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'number' becomes 'ten' (ten is a kind of number**).
'ten' in reverse letter order is 'net'.
'w' going within 'net' is 'NEWT'.

(Other definitions for newt that I've seen before include "Small often colourful salamander of the Northern Hemisphere" , "Went to find a sort of eft" , "Garden-pond amphibian" , "Pond creature" , "Scientist" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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