Which arrack types to take home

Abroad, Sri Lankan arrack is mostly limited to a few premium pure coconut export labels, at much higher prices than on the island. Local styles rarely travel.

That makes the suitcase the best way to keep drinking the full range. Prioritise types that are hard to find abroad and good value in Sri Lanka.

Think about how you will drink each bottle: sipping, cocktails, gifts or sharing the local taste with friends.

A sensible suitcase plan for most visitors is two or three bottles: one aged coconut arrack to sip and share, one young coconut arrack for cocktails and, if space allows, one mid-range bottle for the authentic local taste. That covers most uses within typical customs allowances.

An age-stated pure coconut arrack is the best single bottle to take home. It is a sipping spirit that represents the best of Sri Lankan arrack, and it makes an impressive gift.

Five to seven year bottles cost roughly US$25 to US$40, long-aged releases more. Buy them boxed from licensed wine stores or duty free.

An aged arrack also travels well, as it does not change in the bottle and has a story to tell.

Check the box and seal before you buy. Premium bottles are the ones most often refilled or counterfeited in informal markets, so buy only from licensed wine stores or duty free, keep the receipt and make sure the excise sticker and cap seal are intact.

A young or lightly rested pure coconut arrack is the best bottle for cocktails at home. It makes excellent sours, highballs and arrack and ginger beer.

It costs roughly US$20 to US$35 and is far more useful in a home bar than an aged bottle kept for sipping.

Pair it with a bottle of kithul treacle for arrack old fashioneds and sours.

An old or double distilled arrack gives friends at home the everyday local taste, the arrack Sri Lankans actually drink with ginger beer. It is cheap and rarely available abroad.

Everyday special and extra special arrack is cheapest of all, but its light, sweet profile rarely justifies luggage space. Buy one only if you want the authentic local pour.

For most travellers, one mid-range bottle is enough.

Palmyrah arrack from the north is almost impossible to find abroad and makes a memorable souvenir for spirit enthusiasts. Buy it in licensed shops in Jaffna.

Cask-finished, white and limited releases, when available, also make good finds. Buy them when you see them, as they come and go.

Lankan Stays & Trails guides can take you to a licensed wine store with a broad range on your last day in Colombo, or advise on duty free options.

Check your home country's duty-free allowance before buying several bottles. Allowances vary widely and change, so confirm them before you travel.

Pack sealed bottles in checked luggage, wrapped in clothing or bubble wrap, upright if possible. Airlines usually allow up to five litres of spirits between 24 and 70 per cent per person in checked bags.

Bottles bought at Colombo airport duty free can travel in hand luggage in sealed bags, though transit airports may have their own rules.

Glass and heat do not mix well. Do not leave bottles in a hot car or in direct sun before the flight, as heat can push liquid past the cork or cap. Pack them in the middle of the suitcase, surrounded by clothes, rather than against the outer shell.