Distillers Dark Stone Distillery
Gaborone, South East DistrictDark Stone Distillery is a producer of Gin, Vodka, Grain Spirit, Moonshine based in Gaborone, South East District, Botswana. Products: Dark Stone Aged Grain Spirit, Dark Stone Vodka, Dark Stone Forest Berry Gin, Dark Stone Citrus Gin, Dark Stone Traditional Moonshine, POMOJIN
Okavango Gin Distillery
Tsutsubega, North-West DistrictOkavango Gin Distillery is a producer of Gin based in Tsutsubega, North-West District, Botswana. Products: The Sentinel Gin, The Forager Gin
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Botswana at a glance
- Population
- 2.6 million (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778.1 (2025)
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Currency
- Pula (BWP)
- Languages
- English (official), Setswana (national language)
- Climate
- Generally semi-arid with strongly seasonal rainfall; the north and east are wetter than the dry southwest. Summers can be extremely hot and winter nights quite cold.
- Alcohol status
- legal
- Legal drinking age
- 18 (licence holders may not sell or supply to under-18s)
- Alcohol per adult
- 4.3 litres of pure alcohol a year (2022, WHO)
- Spirits imports
- US$18.7 million (2024); mainly from South Africa, United Kingdom, Germany
- Spirits exports
- US$1.0 million (2024); mainly to Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa
- Import duty on spirits
- Standard (MFN) rate 2023: whisky specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 1.09%; vodka specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 1.39%; rum specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 1.45%; gin specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 1.2%
- The market
- Alcohol is heavily taxed through a special liquor levy on top of normal duties. The levy on local beer for home consumption and on imported liquor was cut from 50-55% to 35% around 2018, and it moved from retail price to production cost. Industry body BAIA said the earlier 2008 levy had led to retrenchments at manufacturers. Sefalana, a major retailer, said it holds P80-90 million of liquor stock in the peak season. No brand ranking was found.
- Making spirits
- Liquor manufacture and supply are controlled under the Liquor Act and the Control of Goods (Intoxicating Liquor) Regulations; the levy is charged on local production for home consumption and on imports.
- Importing
- Imported liquor carries the intoxicating liquor levy (35% after the cut reported by YourBotswana, approx. 2018) in addition to customs duty and VAT; current rate to be verified against the latest Regulations. South Africa is the largest reported source of spirits imports (UN Comtrade).
Compiled by Distillers Hub in October 2026 from the World Bank, WHO, UN Comtrade, the WITS tariff database and the sources below. Figures change: check with the regulator or a customs broker before you act.
Sources (12)
- data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=BW
- data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=BW
- data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?locations=BW
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botswana
- comtradeplus.un.org/ (UN Comtrade, HS 2208, reporter-declared, flow imports)
- comtradeplus.un.org/ (UN Comtrade, HS 2208, reporter-declared, flow exports)
- wits.worldbank.org/API/V1/SDMX/V21/datasource/TRN/reporter/072/partner/000/product/220830/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age
- data.worldbank.org/country/bw
- who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/total-(recorded-unrecorded)-alcohol
- comtradeplus.un.org/
- yourbotswana.com/botswana-slashes-alcohol-levy-to-attract-investors/
About Botswana
Botswana is a landlocked country situated in Southern Africa. English is the official language, while Setswana is the national language spoken across the country. The economy is primarily known for diamond mining, beef production, and wildlife tourism.
The spirits market
Alcohol is legal in Botswana, with sales handled through private channels where retail licences are strictly reserved for citizen-owned businesses. Importing requires a wholesale or distributor licence alongside tax authority registration, with products subject to SACU tariffs, a 30% to 35% Alcohol Levy, and 14% VAT. Domestic distillers produce gin, vodka, grain spirit, and moonshine. Opportunities exist for exporters of premium spirits and whiskies in urban centers and safari enclaves through partnerships with local distributors.
Licences, import duty and labelling rules in Botswana
Who makes liquor in Botswana? This list covers 2 liquor manufacturers and distilleries — Dark Stone Distillery, Okavango Gin Distillery: whisky, rum, gin, vodka, brandy, neutral spirit (ENA) and local spirits producers, with their towns, products and websites. See also how to import or export liquor to Botswana and the licences needed to make it there.
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