Quick answer
A good home arrack tasting uses five types in order of intensity: an everyday special or extra special, an old or double distilled blend, a young pure coconut arrack, an aged coconut arrack of five years or more and, if available, a palmyrah or oak-finished arrack. Pour 10 to 15 ml of each into small tulip glasses, taste neat then with water, and serve simple snacks and plenty of water. Keep notes and finish with a favourite in a cocktail.
Key takeaways
- Use five types in order of intensity, from everyday blend to aged coconut arrack.
- Pour 10 to 15 ml of each into small tulip glasses.
- Taste each neat, then with a few drops of water.
- Serve simple snacks and plenty of water.
- Keep notes, then finish with a favourite in a cocktail.
Choosing the bottles
Choose bottles that span the ladder. Start with an everyday special or extra special arrack, then an old or double distilled blend, then a young pure coconut arrack, then an aged coconut arrack of five years or more. Each step should feel distinct.
For a fifth glass, add contrast: a palmyrah arrack if you have been north, an oak-finished or cask-finished release if you can find one, or a clear arrack. Half and quarter bottles keep the cost down for the everyday and mid-range types.
Buy everything from a licensed wine store or duty free. Lankan Stays & Trails guides can help you choose a set from a well-stocked store on your route.
- →Everyday blend.
- →Old or double distilled.
- →Young coconut, aged coconut, a wildcard.
Setting up
Use small tulip-shaped glasses, one per type per person if possible, or rinse between pours. Label each glass or place it on a sheet of paper with the type written beneath.
Set out a jug of still water and a dropper or teaspoon for adding water to the arrack, plus a separate glass of drinking water for each person. Add a spittoon or empty cup for anyone who prefers not to swallow every sip.
Keep the room cool and away from strong smells such as incense or cooking, which interfere with aroma. In a villa, an air-conditioned room or a shaded veranda in the evening works well.
- →Glasses: small tulip.
- →Water: for adding and drinking.
- →Room: cool, no strong smells.
Pouring and order
Pour 10 to 15 ml of each type. Five pours of that size total around one or two standard drinks per person, enough to taste without overdoing it.
Taste from lightest to most intense: everyday blend, mid-range blend, young coconut, aged coconut, then the wildcard. Moving from light to heavy keeps the palate fresh and makes differences clearer.
Let each glass rest for a minute after pouring so the alcohol settles and the aromas gather.
How to taste
For each glass, look at the colour, smell gently, then take a small sip and hold it in the mouth before swallowing. Note the taste, the texture and how long the finish lasts.
Then add a few drops of water and repeat. Water opens coconut and aged arracks dramatically, while everyday blends change little, which is itself a lesson in what each type contains.
Encourage everyone to describe what they notice in plain words: fruit, flowers, nuts, sweetness, wood, warmth. There are no wrong answers.
- →Look, smell, sip.
- →Add water and repeat.
- →Describe in plain words.
Snacks and pacing
Serve simple snacks between glasses: roasted cashews, plain crackers, slices of fresh pineapple and a little dark chocolate for the aged arrack. Avoid very spicy food, which numbs the palate.
Pace the tasting over an hour. Drink water between glasses and eat steadily. Nobody needs to finish every pour.
For a Sri Lankan touch, offer a few short eats such as fish cutlets or devilled cashews after the tasting, when the palate no longer matters.
- →Snacks: cashews, crackers, pineapple.
- →Avoid: very spicy food.
- →Pace: an hour.
Notes and a finale
Give everyone a simple score sheet with columns for colour, nose, palate, finish and a favourite mark. Comparing notes at the end is often the most enjoyable part of the evening.
Finish by making a cocktail with the group's favourite: a young coconut arrack sour, an arrack and ginger beer with old arrack, or an arrack old fashioned with the aged bottle and kithul treacle.
Never drive after a tasting, and never swim. Keep the leftover bottles for the rest of the stay or pack them carefully to take home.
- →Score sheet: colour, nose, palate, finish.
- →Finale: a cocktail.
- →Safety: no driving or swimming.
Frequently asked questions
Which arracks should I use for a home tasting?
Use five types in order of intensity: an everyday special or extra special, an old or double distilled blend, a young pure coconut arrack, an aged coconut arrack of five years or more, and a wildcard such as palmyrah, oak-finished or clear arrack. Buy from licensed stores.
How much arrack should I pour for a tasting?
Pour 10 to 15 ml of each type. Five pours of that size total around one or two standard drinks per person, enough to taste each properly without drinking too much. Nobody needs to finish every glass.
What order should I taste arrack in?
Taste from lightest to most intense: everyday blend first, then mid-range blend, young coconut arrack, aged coconut arrack and finally any wildcard. Moving from light to heavy keeps the palate fresh and makes differences between types clearer.
Should I add water to arrack during a tasting?
Yes. Taste each arrack neat first, then add a few drops of water and taste again. Water opens the aroma and softens the alcohol, especially in coconut and aged arracks, and shows how much flavour each type holds.
What snacks go with an arrack tasting?
Simple snacks work best: roasted cashews, plain crackers, fresh pineapple and a little dark chocolate. Avoid very spicy food, which numbs the palate. Save short eats such as fish cutlets for after the tasting.
How long does an arrack tasting take?
About an hour for five glasses, with time to smell, taste, add water and compare notes. Add another half hour if you finish with a cocktail. Pace the evening, drink water between glasses and eat steadily throughout.
Can I do an arrack tasting at a villa in Sri Lanka?
Yes. A villa is ideal. Buy the bottles from a licensed wine store in advance, especially before a poya day when shops close, and set up in a cool, shaded spot in the evening. Your villa staff can help with glasses and snacks.