Life style

In Sri Lanka,This Centuries – Old Spirit Is Shaking up The Local Cocktail Scene

Published

2 years ago

2023/10/22

Thilina Walpola

More and more mixologists in Sri Lanka are using coconut arrack to make cocktails

And being served in trendy bars from London to Cologne

By Zinara Ratnayake

At an 18-acre coconut garden of Rockland Distilleries in Nattandiya, just north of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, Roy Jayalath begins his work early in the morning. Jayalath climbs tall, swaying coconut trees to collect the white, milky sap of their flowers. Balancing on two coir ropes, he walks across these tightropes from tree to tree until he collects enough sap to fill a pot. Coconut sap is the raw material for coconut arrack, an alcoholic beverage unique to Sri Lanka. Although this method of collecting sap, known as toddy tapping, has existed in Sri Lanka for about 2,000 years, arrack has only recently begun to reach trendy bars and foreign shores.

High-quality coconut arrack only has two ingredients: sap and water. When it’s fresh from the tree, the sap is sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy, with a strong fragrance of coconuts; it contains natural sugars and yeast, allowing the sap to naturally ferment into a wine-like drink called toddy, with an alcohol percentage of about four percent. A few hours after extraction, the alcohol content increases to about seven percent. The toddy is then distilled like whiskey; the alcohol level goes up to about 60 percent, at which point the drink is then watered down to 40 percent and aged in Halmilla (a tree that grows in Asian tropics) wooden vats for at least three years before the liquid is bottled.

The garden employs six “toddy tappers” including Jayalath, now 56, who tapped his first toddy at the age of 13 after seeing his two uncles climbing coconut palms. Jayalath shimmies up the trees twice a day now: once in the morning to collect sap, and again later in the day to tap each tree’s unopened inflorescence, or cluster of flowers, with a mallet to stimulate toddy flow. He collects sap from 100 trees every day.

A toddy tapper may climb and collect sap from dozens of trees every day

Rapti Dirckze, Head of Conservation at Rockland Distilleries, explains that toddy tapping is a generational craft passed down from father to son, but notes that it’s difficult to find young tappers today—despite the fact that a skilled tapper can earn decent pay of about 120,000 rupees ($470) a month. “People think it’s a job with low status, so the young generation wants to find other jobs,” she says.

Jayalath’s children, for instance, have moved into other labor work, he explains as he presses his palms together and says a prayer before ascending a tree. “[The prayer] keeps me safe,” he says, smiling. “The hardest part is to climb up. Most people think that walking on the rope is scary. Not for me. I’m used to it.”

There’s little evidence to suggest arrack’s origins, but according to oral history, centuries ago, toddy was given to elephants in the king’s army before battle. Robert Knox, a British sea captain who spent 19 years in Sri Lanka as a captive, wrote in his 1681-book An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon that captives distilled arrack to drink. In the mid-1600s, the Dutch began the commercial planting of coconut trees on the west coast of Sri Lanka and exported coconut arrack to Malaysia and several Indian destinations.

“We call this area the toddy belt of Sri Lanka,” says Dirckze, noting that this region extends from Chilaw in the north to Matara in the south. “The best toddy is from here.”

Sri Lanka has had a complicated relationship with arrack over the past few centuries. When the British took over Sri Lanka’s coastal belt in 1796, they seized control of the arrack trade. Arrack production slowly declined over the following decades. There were many reasons for this, writes Michelle Gunawardana in the book The Adventure of Arrack: not only did importing countries impose heavy duties, but the British East India Company also later banned the transport of arrack and discouraged imports into Britain.

By the 1830s, the British had also tightened local production, ensuring that only licensed entities could produce and sell arrack. The British government later established the Department of Excise, which exists today, to control the illegal trade and allow only large-scale businesses to produce the drink.

Toddy tappers climb coconut trees to collect the sap that will become coconut arrack.

Around the ‘60s to ‘70s, when the coconut supply decreased due to severe droughts and labor shortages, some distilleries began to produce different arrack blends. Because these usually didn’t include much coconut, they were much cheaper than traditional arrack. The prevalence of such alternatives labeled arrack as a cheaper drink for the masses, explains Dirckze.

According to Nadira Jayasuriya, director of development at the Botanik Bistro and Bar in Colombo, local distilleries like Rockland are driving much of this surge, and customers are spreading the word on social media. She believes the growing enthusiasm is a sign that people are becoming increasingly interested in embracing native ingredients.

“There’s a global trend to highlight everything local. The pandemic made it even clearer,” she says, explaining that COVID-related restrictions limited imports and drove people to pay more attention to locally available ingredients.

“Earlier, people wouldn’t come to a bar and order arrack, but now they do, even when we have whiskey or scotch on the menu,” says mixologist Dhanushka Dias, who developed the cocktail menu at ColomBar, an arrack-focused bar at Colombo’s Cinnamon Lakeside hotel.

ColomBar’s assistant restaurant manager Mischel Bandara agrees. “ColomBar began as a destination bar to introduce Sri Lankan elements like coconut arrack to foreign tourists,” he says, “but it became so popular with locals. People come and order arrack bottles now, not just glasses.”

Rockland now produces several coconut arrack varieties, including a new premium blend called Ceylon Arrack, which is a mix of three-year, seven-year, and 10-year aged arracks. The taste is clean and smooth, with a robust coconut aroma.

One cocktail Dias developed is called Dodola, made with Ceylon Arrack, coconut milk, jaggery, nutmeg, and cardamom. The flavour is reminiscent of the popular Sri Lankan sweetmeat dodol. “When I told customers that I have arrack cocktails, they were reluctant,” he recalls. “But I was confident. And I was right. They loved it.”

Dias also created a cocktail called Padikkama, which tastes similar to bulath wita, a local betel-leaf-and-betel-nut mix commonly eaten after meals. “My idea was to develop cocktails with local elements, and when I thought of the days I spent with my grandparents, I wanted to recreate those flavours,” he says.

Another factor contributing to the increasing attention around coconut arrack is the growth of tourism. “When foreigners come here, they don’t want to sip a Scottish or gin cocktail. They ask for something local, something that is ours,” Jayasuriya says. Botanik Rooftop Bistro & Bar serves two cocktails made with Ceylon Arrack, both featuring many locally sourced ingredients: one includes pandan, king coconuts, and kithul treacle (made with the sap of fishtail palm), while the other includes tamarind and passion fruit.

“We had no idea how customers would react, but they are our bestsellers now,” he says.

Mixologist Nabeel Kenny, who works at the upmarket restaurant Monsoon Colombo, also sees the demand for arrack among tourists. “Customers ask us whether we have arrack cocktails,” says Kenny, who is now also developing arrack-based cocktails.

The popularity of arrack is no longer limited to Colombo or Sri Lanka. Coconut arrack is now a crowd favourite in London, where the ingredient is served in cocktails at trendy South Asian restaurants like Hoppers London and The Coconut Tree. Even celebrity bartender Ryan Chethiyawardene, who was brought up in Birmingham by his Sri Lankan parents, uses the spirit in mixed drinks.

“Arrack, one of the oldest and almost forgotten spirits from my homeland, has a very special place in our bar,” says Indika de Silva, owner of the cocktail bar Toddy Tapper in Germany. His hope is to offer a “cultural taste journey” with flavours and ingredients that are lesser known to the German crowd. One of the bar’s most popular cocktails is Jack & Jill, which features Ceylon Arrack, cardamom, jackfruit, and calamansi, among other ingredients.

Despite historical impediments, Sri Lankan distilleries and mixologists are reclaiming their pride in the centuries-old tradition of coconut arrack—and redefining it in innovative ways. “When someone says Mexico, people think of tequila. I want the world to think of coconut arrack when they hear the name Sri Lanka,” says Dias, “It’s our history and culture blended in one drink. We must celebrate it.” (BBC )

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Life style

Ministry of Brands: Where style meets statement

Published

20 hours ago

2026/03/1

Thilina Walpola

From left: Aamir Akbarally, Farida Akbarally, Ghazi Hammoud, Tyeab Akbarally and Ramzey Hammoud officially opening Ministry of Brands at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The City of Colombo has welcomed a bold new entrant to its retail landscape. Ministry of Brands – a concept that feels less like a fashion statement. Set along the very buzzing stretch of Vajira Road, Ministry of Brands arrives with a promise that instantly captures the imagination: – global luxury redefined for the Sri Lankan shopper. From the structured elegance of Gucci to the timeless sophstication of Ralph Laurent and modern glamour of Michael Kors, the store looks a curated passport to the world’s most desired brands.

Backed by the legacy and strength of Akbar Brothers, this venture singals a confident step forward for Sri Lanka’s retail evolution.

Ministry of Brands (MoB), Sri Lanka’s first off-price retailer, officially opened its doors to the public, marking a new era in the country’s retail landscape.

The 10,000 sq. ft. flagship store, located at Vajira Road, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 4, welcomed guests to an exclusive preview recently, offering a first look at its expansive collection of authentic global luxury and premium brands at discounts of up to 90 percent off original retail prices.

Backed by Akbar Brothers, Ministry of Brands introduces the globally established off-price retail model to Sri Lanka and the wider South Asian region. The concept enables customers to purchase genuine designer and brand-name products at significantly reduced prices, with new pieces landing and replenishing in store daily, offering a dynamic “treasure-hunt” shopping experience and a constantly changing selection.

Off-price retail remains one of the fastest-growing global retail segments, enabling fashion houses to manage excess inventory while responsibly expanding access to premium products.

: Director of Mob, Aamir Akbarally; Chairman of Akbar Brothers, Tyeab Akbarally and Chairman of Mob, Hussain Akbarally

: Where style meets statement

: Fashion experience

: New chapter in luxury retail

: Curated elegance

: Fashion finds its finest expression

Offering more than 2,000 international brands sourced from Europe and the United States, the store features a wide range of categories, including womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, footwear, handbags, accessories, performance wear and homeware. Renowned global labels available at M.O.B include Valentino, Salvatore Ferragamo, DKNY, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Farm Rio, Staud, Alice + Olivia, Burberry, Rag & Bone, Lacoste, Puma, UGG, HOKA, Brooks and Air Jordan, among many others.

Commenting on the launch, Director Aamir Akbarally stated: “We are very excited to finally make authentic global luxury and premium brands more accessible and affordable to Sri Lankans. Ministry of Brands signals the beginning of a new era in Sri Lanka’s retail sector. The response so far has been fantastic, as a family-owned business, we shall always be committed to delivering genuine value, transparency and a world-class shopping experience built on longstanding values of integrity, quality and trust.”

Director Ramzey Hammoud added: “Off-price retail is globally recognised for its ability to combine value with sustainability. Our customers can now shop designer brands locally at the best possible prices, while enjoying a constantly evolving selection of products that makes every visit unique.”

Following its Colombo flagship launch, Ministry of Brands is set to open its second location at One Galle Face Mall in March 2026. Ministry of Brands is open from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm every day. For more information, visit www.ministryofbrands.com.

By Zanita Careem

Life style

On His Birthday, The Man Who Gave Sri Lanka’s Silent Creatures a Voice

Published

20 hours ago

2026/03/1

Thilina Walpola

Puntius kelumi. Named in recognition of Kelum's invaluable contribution to ichthyology.

On a quiet morning, as Dr. Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi celebrates another year of life, it is not difficult to imagine him where he has always belonged—somewhere between forest and memory, between bone and history, between the living and the extinct.

For more than 25 years, he has shared his knowledge generously with the Sunday Island, often referring to it with unmistakable affection as his favourite newspaper. To generations of readers, he has been more than a scientist.

He has been an interpreter of the natural world, a man who helped Sri Lanka see itself more clearly.

His life’s work has unfolded not in pursuit of recognition, but in pursuit of truth.

Sri Lanka, an island small in size but vast in biological richness, holds within its forests and streams a remarkable concentration of life. Yet, for much of the 20th century, many of its smallest and most fragile creatures lived and vanished without scientific record.

The pioneering zoological work of P.E.P. Deraniyagala had once drawn the world’s attention to the island, but the decades that followed saw fewer explorers willing to continue that difficult journey of discovery.

It was into that silence that Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi quietly stepped.

His fascination with animals began in childhood, when he joined the Young Zoologists’ Association at the Dehiwala Zoo. It was there, among cages and curiosity, that he first learned the discipline of observation. He was not content simply to see. He wanted to understand.

: Museum study led by Kelum

: Field inspection

That desire would shape his destiny.

While still young, he was invited to assist researchers in identifying animal bones recovered during archaeological excavations. It was a rare responsibility, and he approached it with uncommon seriousness. Where others saw fragments, he saw identity. Where others saw remains, he saw continuity.

Bones became his language.

In the early 1990s, his meeting with conservationist and taxonomist Rohan Pethiyagoda marked a turning point—not just in his life, but in Sri Lanka’s scientific history. Together, they helped build the Wildlife Heritage Trust, an institution dedicated to uncovering the island’s hidden biodiversity.

At the time, many of Sri Lanka’s amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals remained scientifically invisible. They existed in forests and streams, unnamed and unrecognised.

Dr. Manamendra-Arachchi set out to change that.

His search took him across continents to the great natural history museums of Britain, France, India, and Singapore. There, in quiet halls filled with preserved specimens, he compared bones and bodies, carefully tracing the identity of species across time and geography. It was meticulous, patient work—the work of someone who understood that discovery begins with attention.

In 1996, he co-authored a landmark study on Sri Lanka’s amphibians, reshaping scientific understanding of these delicate creatures. But it was in 2005 that his work would astonish the global scientific community.

In a single paper, he and his colleagues described 27 new species of shrub frogs—an extraordinary achievement that revealed Sri Lanka as one of the world’s most important centres of amphibian diversity. Scientists around the world turned their attention to the island, newly aware of the richness that had long remained hidden.

Through his work, Sri Lanka’s forests began to speak.

Yet Dr. Manamendra-Arachchi understood that science must not remain confined to laboratories or journals. It must belong to people. In 2007, he published a book on Sri Lanka’s amphibians in Sinhala, opening the doors of knowledge to young students across the country. For many, it became a first step into scientific discovery.

He did not merely document biodiversity. He inspired those who would protect it.

Sri Lanka amphibian hot spot -The Island exclusively reported

His work extended beyond living species into deep time itself. Through the study of fossil remains found in Sri Lanka’s ancient gem-bearing gravels, he reconstructed animals that had vanished thousands of years ago. With scientific precision and artistic insight, he brought extinct creatures back into human understanding.

He reminded us that Sri Lanka’s story is older than memory.

Those who know him personally speak of his remarkable ability to connect science with life. He can move effortlessly from discussing frog evolution to ancient civilisations, from fossil anatomy to art and philosophy. His lectures are filled not only with knowledge, but with wonder.

He is, above all, a teacher.

In recognition of his immense contributions, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2022. Species have been named in his honour, ensuring his legacy will remain permanently embedded in the natural world he helped reveal.

Yet he remains unchanged—quiet, thoughtful, and deeply committed to discovery.

Even today, he continues his work, guiding students, advising researchers, and sharing his knowledge with the public.

His curiosity remains undiminished, his purpose undisturbed by time.

On his birthday (Feb 16) it is fitting that Sri Lanka pauses to reflect on his extraordinary journey.

For he did more than study animals.

He gave identity to the unnamed.

He gave meaning to the forgotten.

He gave Sri Lanka a deeper understanding of itself.

And in forests where bones still lie hidden beneath fallen leaves, waiting patiently for someone to listen, Dr. Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi continues to hear their stories.

By Ifham Nizam

Life style

Gift of life: Honouring the heroes behind every kidney transplant

Published

20 hours ago

2026/03/1

Thilina Walpola

Moment of gratitude and hope as medical professionals gather to honour the gift of life through organ donation

At the core of Jayewardene Hospital is the Organ Transplant Unit. For hundreds of patients suffering from end stage organ failure, the hospital has become a place of renewed possibility. Many arrive after years of dialysis, physical exhaustion and emotional strain. Through transplants they are given not extended life but return to normaly For the doctors each transplant is a responsibility. For the recipients it is a new beginning. And for donor families it is a way for love to endure beyond loss.

The Organ Donation Day at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital unfolded as a deeply moving tribute to life, loss and the extraordinary courages that connects the two. Bringing together donor families, medical professionals and survivors whose lives have been transformed, the event was not merely ceremonial but it was profoundly humane.

From the very beginning, there was a quiet stillness, it was the kind of stillness that carried a Semotion unspoken yet deeply felt.

Families walked in with holding memories and a strength that only those who have lived and lost can truly understand. Yet beneath the grief there was something else. There was purpose, because here loved ones were not only remembered, but celebrated for the lives they continue to hold.

At the heart of all, stood doctors and the transplanted teams, the quiet bridge between lost and life. For them organ donation is not simply clinical, it is deeply personal. They carry the weight and hope often with the same moment.

: A team bound by purpose-saving lives

One of the most poignant moments of the ceremony was the presentation of white roses to the families of the donors.

Simple but pure and deeply symbolic, each white rose represented remembrance, peace and the enduring hearts of life given selflessly. As each flower was handed over, there were tears but also quiet smiles.

It was a kind gesture that said what words often cannot, and never forgotten. The lighting of the traditional oil lamp further deepend the emotion of the day. Each flame symoblised a life carried forward ,a reminder that even in loss, there is light.

Dr Niroshan Seneviratne,visionary behind Jayewardene Hospital transplant surgery

This ceremony was organised by the Organ Donation and Transplantation Trust Fund based at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital.

This fund was co-founded by Dr. Niroshan Seneviratne, Consultant Urogolist and Transplant Surgeon Dr. Chamila Pilimatalawwe Consultant Anaesiologist and Dr. Chintana Galphitiyawa Consultant Nephrologist. The Chief Guest was Ven. Professor Medgampitiye Wijithadhamma, Guest of honour.was Peter D’Almeida The special guest was Dr. Hansaka Wijemanu ,Deputy Minister of Health. Other special included Dr. Dammika Alahpperuma, MP Dewanande sSuraweera ,Chairman of the hospital Dr Thamara Kalubowila, Director of the hospital Dr Dhammika Alahahaperuma, Sandya Tennekoon and Kareem Amath, Board of Trustee member, Dr Gamini Samarasekera, Auditor Dr Chanaka Abeyratne, consultant Nephrologist

As the proceedings began, the families stood motionless, united by circumstances but compassion and shared humanity. Throughtout the ceremony one message resonated deeply, Organ Donation is not about statistics or procedures it is about people. It is about finding meaning even in the most difficult goodbyes. Among the many voices, the transplant surgeon Dr. Niroshan Seneviratne, a name deeply respected in the country’s transplant landscape, spoke with quiet conviction .Dr. Seneviratne reflected on the journey of organ transplantation in Sri Lanka. Every donar is a hero he emphasised, his voice steady yet filled with emotion “Behind every transplant is a family that chose to give life in their darkest hour.”

Sri Lanka’s organ transplant programmes has steadily grown over the years, particularly in Kidney transplants, offering hope to thousands of chronic renal diseases. This day also honoured the tireless medical teams working behind the screen, surgeons, ICU staff volunteers. Their work often unseen, is nothing short of extraordinary. Organ Transplant Day is not just a date on the calender. It is a celebration of life, of giving, and of the extraordinary power of human kindness.