It's super strong, fennel-flavored, as transparent as water -- and in many households across Sardinia it's still produced illegally. Filu 'e ferru, or "iron wire," is an old drink with a dangerous past and an alcohol concentration of up to 45% that knocks out even those with a high tolerance.

Rosa Maria Scrugli was barely 23 years old when in 1970 she was sent on a work mission to the small town of Santu Lussurgiu, set in the wild Oristano area of western Sardinia amid rocky hills and caves.