Best arrack type for cocktails

In cocktails, the spirit should be strong enough in flavour to show through the other ingredients, but not so heavy with wood that it clashes. Fresh, citrus drinks want bright spirit; rich, stirred drinks want depth.

Arrack covers both ends. Young coconut arrack is bright and fruity, aged coconut arrack is deep and spicy, and mid-range blends sit in between. Matching the type to the drink is the single biggest improvement you can make.

Price matters too. Mixers and juices hide subtlety, so there is little point pouring an expensive aged arrack into a jug of cola.

For an arrack sour, with lime, sugar and sometimes egg white, choose a young or lightly rested pure coconut arrack. Its fruit and floral notes stand up to the lime and give a fragrant, crisp drink.

White or clear arrack works equally well and keeps the drink pale. A daiquiri-style arrack drink with lime and sugar, or a mojito-style drink with mint and soda, also suits these bright styles.

Avoid heavily aged or oak-finished arrack in sours, where wood can taste muddy against citrus. Everyday blends work but give a thinner, sweeter result.

For highballs with soda or tonic, young coconut arrack gives an aromatic, refreshing drink, and white arrack gives a clean, gin-and-tonic-style glass.

For the classic arrack and ginger beer, old or double distilled arrack is ideal: rounder than everyday blends, cheaper than pure coconut, and full enough to match the spicy local ginger beer. Young coconut arrack makes a premium version.

For arrack and cola, everyday special or extra special is fine. The cola dominates, and the cheapest licensed arrack does the job.

For a punch for a group, with fruit juice, lime, sugar, tea and spice, old or double distilled arrack gives good flavour at a sensible price. A young coconut arrack lifts the punch further if the budget allows.

For very large batches at a party or villa, everyday special or extra special arrack keeps costs down. Use plenty of fresh lime and good fruit, and the punch will taste fine.

Historic arrack punches, the ancestors of modern cocktails, were made with arrack, citrus, sugar, water and spice. Recreating one is a fun way to taste arrack's long cocktail history.

For an arrack old fashioned, stirred with kithul treacle and bitters over ice, choose an aged coconut arrack, five to seven years being ideal. Its vanilla and spice harmonise with the smoky treacle.

For Manhattan-style drinks with vermouth, aged or double distilled coconut arrack gives enough body. Oak-touched arracks suit drinkers who like a whisky-like profile.

Long-aged arracks, ten years and over, can work in stirred drinks, but most drinkers prefer them neat. Lankan Stays & Trails can arrange a cocktail session at a partner hotel where a bartender demonstrates several arrack types.

Keep long-aged and cask-finished arracks out of the shaker. Their subtle layers disappear under juice and sugar, and you pay for flavour you cannot taste.

Avoid very cheap blends in cocktails where the spirit should show, such as a sour or old fashioned. They make the drink thin and sweet.

Never use informal or unlicensed spirit, however cheap. Licensed arrack at any level is safe; illicit liquor is not.

For a holiday villa or home bar, two bottles cover most drinks: a young or lightly rested pure coconut arrack for sours, highballs and punches, and an old or double distilled arrack for ginger beer and batches.

Add a five to seven year coconut arrack if you enjoy stirred drinks, and a white arrack if you can find one for fresh, clear cocktails.

Buy from licensed wine stores or duty free and check seals. Pick up local ginger beer, limes and kithul treacle from supermarkets for the full Sri Lankan cocktail kit.