Quick answer
Palmyrah toddy is the fermented sap of the palmyrah palm, tapped in the Jaffna peninsula and across northern Sri Lanka, and palmyrah arrack is the spirit distilled from it. The toddy, called panam kallu in Tamil, is in season roughly from January or February to around August, during the dry months. It is cloudy, lightly sour and roughly four to six per cent alcohol. Palmyrah arrack is drier and earthier than coconut arrack, is produced in small volumes in the north, and is rarely seen in the south.
Key takeaways
- The palmyrah palm (Borassus flabellifer) is the characteristic tree of the Jaffna peninsula and Sri Lanka's dry north.
- Palmyrah toddy is seasonal, flowing roughly from January or February to around August.
- Palmyrah arrack is distilled in the north in small volumes and is drier and earthier than coconut arrack.
- Unfermented palmyrah sap is boiled into panangkatti, a dark jaggery sold in woven palm-leaf baskets.
- Jaffna is roughly six to seven hours by road from Colombo, or a little over six hours by train.
The palmyrah palm of northern Sri Lanka
The palmyrah palm defines the landscape of Jaffna in the way the coconut defines the south-west coast. It grows in dry, sandy soil where coconuts struggle, lives for a century or more and reaches roughly 20 to 30 metres.
Palmyrah is called the tree of life in the north because every part is used. Leaves become fences, mats and baskets, the timber frames houses, the fruit and sprouted roots are eaten, and the flower stalks are tapped for sap.
Palmyrah toddy: taste and season
Palmyrah toddy is tapped from the flower stalks of the palm and ferments naturally in the pot, just as coconut toddy does. It is slightly lighter, with a clean sourness and a faint earthy note that people from Jaffna will tell you is the superior drink.
- →Season: roughly January or February to around August, peaking in the hot dry months.
- →Strength: roughly four to six per cent alcohol when fresh.
- →Sold in: licensed toddy taverns and cooperative outlets across the peninsula.
- →Best drunk: in the morning, cool, on the day it is tapped.
Palmyrah arrack and how it differs
Palmyrah arrack is distilled from palmyrah toddy, mostly by cooperative societies of tappers in the north. Production is small beside the coconut arrack industry of the south-west, and bottles seldom travel far from the region.
Palmyrah arrack tastes drier and more rustic than coconut arrack, with an earthy, slightly smoky edge and less floral sweetness. Most of it is bottled young. Treat it as a regional speciality to try in Jaffna, not as a substitute for an aged coconut arrack.
Other palmyrah products to look for in Jaffna
Palmyrah in Jaffna is as much about sweets and snacks as about drink. The market stalls near Jaffna town's central bus stand and the craft outlets run by the palmyrah development authorities stock most of them.
- →Panangkatti: dark palmyrah jaggery, sold in small palm-leaf baskets.
- →Pinattu: dried sheets of palmyrah fruit pulp, chewy and sweet-sour.
- →Odiyal: dried sprouted root, ground into flour for the seafood broth odiyal kool.
- →Palmyrah leaf baskets, boxes and mats, woven by hand.
Where to try palmyrah toddy and arrack
Trying palmyrah toddy and arrack is easiest in and around Jaffna town and on the roads towards Point Pedro and Kayts, where taverns sit among the groves. Taverns are plain, open-sided places used mainly by local men.
Palmyrah arrack is sold in licensed bottle shops in the north. As elsewhere in Sri Lanka, nothing is sold on poya days, and Jaffna observes Hindu festival days when some outlets also close.
Planning a Jaffna visit around palmyrah
Planning a Jaffna visit for palmyrah toddy means coming in the dry months, which also happen to be the best weather for the peninsula and its islands. Two or three nights in Jaffna is enough to see the town, the islands and a tapping grove.
Lankan Stays & Trails includes Jaffna on northern itineraries and can arrange a guide who knows the tapping communities, so that a tavern or grove visit is comfortable for all travellers.
- →Choose February to July if toddy is a priority.
- →Pair it with Jaffna crab curry and a morning at the market.
- →Carry jaggery home, not toddy: the toddy will not survive the journey.
Frequently asked questions
What is palmyrah toddy?
Palmyrah toddy is the naturally fermented sap of the palmyrah palm, a tall fan palm common in northern Sri Lanka. It is a cloudy, mildly sour drink of roughly four to six per cent alcohol, known in Tamil as panam kallu and sold fresh in licensed taverns.
When is toddy season in Jaffna?
Palmyrah toddy season in Jaffna runs roughly from January or February to around August, following the palm's flowering in the dry months. Outside those months fresh palmyrah toddy is scarce, though coconut toddy and bottled products may still be available.
What is palmyrah arrack?
Palmyrah arrack is a spirit distilled from fermented palmyrah sap, made mainly by tappers' cooperatives in northern Sri Lanka. It is drier and earthier than the coconut arrack of the south-west, is usually bottled young, and is mostly sold within the north.
Is palmyrah arrack different from coconut arrack?
Yes. The two come from different palms and regions. Coconut arrack, from the south-west coast, is softer and more floral and is often aged in halmilla wood. Palmyrah arrack, from the north, is drier and more rustic and is produced in much smaller quantities.
Can I buy palmyrah arrack in Colombo?
Occasionally, but do not rely on it. Palmyrah arrack is produced in small volumes and mainly sold in the Northern Province. If you want a bottle, buy it from a licensed shop in Jaffna during your stay, and avoid poya days when shops are shut.
What is palmyrah jaggery?
Palmyrah jaggery, or panangkatti, is unrefined sugar made by boiling down fresh, unfermented palmyrah sap. It is dark, mineral and less sweet than cane sugar, and is traditionally sold in small woven palm-leaf baskets. It keeps well and travels easily.