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Directory / Sri Lanka

Distilleries and liquor manufacturers in Sri Lanka

39 producers listed, including 4 bulk or neutral spirit.

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Sri Lanka at a glance

Population
21.8 million (2025)
GDP
US$108.9 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$5,003.7 (2025)
Capital
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative); Colombo (executive/judicial and commercial)
Currency
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Languages
Sinhala, Tamil, English (link language)
Climate
Tropical and warm, averaging 28-31 C with about 17 C in the Central Highlands. Monsoons bring up to 2,500 mm a year to the wet zone and southwest, 1,200-1,900 mm to the dry zone, and 800-1,200 mm to the arid coasts.
Alcohol status
legal
Legal drinking age
21 for purchase per Wikipedia listing (which also states women are barred from buying; unverified and possibly outdated)
Alcohol per adult
2.5 litres of pure alcohol a year (2022, WHO)
Spirits imports
US$39.7 million (2024); mainly from United Kingdom, France, USA, China, Hong Kong SAR
Spirits exports
US$11.0 million (2024); mainly to United Arab Emirates, Singapore, India, Netherlands
Import duty on spirits
Standard (MFN) rate 2023: whisky specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 84.57%; vodka specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 107.23%; rum specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 112.01%; gin specific/compound duty, WITS AVE estimate about 92.92%
Popular brands
Extra Special Arrack (Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL)), Old Reserve, VSOA, VX, Vat9, Ceylon Arrack (various producers (owners not stated in source))
Major producers
Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL), IDL (Ceylon Distilleries), Rockland Distilleries, Mendis
State monopoly
No current monopoly found; the state had a significant role in arrack production until 1992 (Wikipedia). Production and sale are licensed.
The market
Arrack, a coconut-sap spirit, dominates the local spirits market. Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) held about 79% of arrack production and 53% of all alcohol production in 2014-15 (Fitch), and its Extra Special Arrack was about 80% of its sales. Arrack output in 2007 was led by DCSL (37.3m litres), then IDL, Rockland and Mendis. Governments raise liquor taxes often and a minimum monthly tax on manufacturers was planned in 2015, favouring large producers; beer imports are small (about 10% of beer drunk).
Importing
Not verified in detail. Imports are small (about 10% of beer consumed comes from Asian suppliers) and liquor taxes change often; the Department of Excise licences manufacture and trade. Tariff and excise rates were not confirmed.
Advertising
WHO country profile (2018 edition, data c.2016): legally binding national rules - advertising: yes; product placement: yes; sponsorship: yes; sales promotion: yes; health-warning requirement - on adverts: no; on containers: no. Status may have changed since; check current national advertising code.
Sale restrictions
WHO country profile (2018 edition, data c.2016): national limits on sale - on-premise: hours/days yes, places/density yes; off-premise: hours/days yes, places/density yes; restrictions - specific events: yes; intoxicated persons: yes; petrol stations: yes; minimum age for spirits - on-premise 21, off-premise 21. Online sales not covered by the profile; check current local licensing rules.

Regulators: Department of Excise (Sri Lanka) - licences for manufacture, import and sale of liquor and excise duty

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 (13)

About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of India. Its official languages are Sinhala and Tamil, with English widely used in commerce. The country's economy is primarily known for tea production, apparel manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.

The spirits market

Alcohol is legal in Sri Lanka, though retail sales are prohibited on monthly Poya days and statutory holidays. Registered importers require an Import Control Licence and Foreign Liquor licence, facing heavy taxes including Rs. 2,750 per bulk litre customs duty, a 70% Cess, and 18% VAT. Local distilleries produce arrack, palmyrah arrack, rum, gin, and whisky. Expanding tourism and premium hospitality venues offer steady demand for exporters of Scotch whisky, high-end gin, and cognac.

Licences, import duty and labelling rules in Sri Lanka

Spirits importers and distributors in Sri Lanka

Duty-free and travel-retail shops in Sri Lanka

Who makes liquor in Sri Lanka? This list covers 39 liquor manufacturers and distilleries — V A Distilleries (Pvt) Ltd, W. M. Mendis & Co. Ltd, Rockland Distilleries (Pvt) Ltd, Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC (DCSL) and more: 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 Sri Lanka and the licences needed to make it there.

Listings are compiled from public sources. Companies marked Verified have confirmed their details. If this is your company, claim the profile free to correct it, or ask us to remove it. Not listed? Add your company free.

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