Sri Lanka’s most-loved spirit, arrack, is the star of this refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for hot days. Made from the fermented sap of coconut palm flowers, arrack has a delicate, nutty flavour that pairs beautifully with citrus and spice.
The drink’s journey starts with toddy tappers who climb tall palms twice a day to collect the sap. The liquid ferments naturally in handmade ceramic pots, before being distilled and aged in native wood. While arrack can be enjoyed in a spritz or even a martini, it really shines in this frozen mule, where ginger and lime add a sharp, zesty kick.
Frozen Arrack Mule Recipe
Serves 1
- 50 ml arrack (Ceylon Arrack works best)
- 20 ml fresh lime juice
- 25 ml ginger beer syrup (mix equal parts ginger beer and sugar until dissolved; keeps in the fridge for up to a week)
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 star anise, for garnish
Method:
Add everything except the star anise to a high-speed blender, along with a generous handful of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass (a highball, sling or hurricane glass works well), drop in the star anise, and serve with a straw.
Cool, spicy and citrusy, this frozen arrack mule is an instant pick-me-up for late summer afternoons.
