Finding Feni
The aged feni could well be compared to the finest whiskies
I thought that I knew everything there was to know about feni — the Goan drink that is made of cashew or coconut. But when I was recently invited to judge a “cocktail clash” at the Park Hyatt in Goa, with seasoned bartenders as contestants, I discovered a whole new side to feni.
The contestants showed how even the most ordinary cocktails can be given a creative twist with feni, or urak. I sampled a White Lady, made with cashew feni, coconut water, coconut cream and sugar syrup — refreshing, heady and pristine. Another winning combination was kokum sherbet combined with urak, lemon juice and black salt — local ingredients, perfectly used. For those who love their iced tea in summer, I came across a drink that would be right up your alley: Caju Tranquil, made with cashew feni, mango, lemon and orange juice, along with iced tea and honey. It’s not only the perfect drink to beat the heat — it delivers quite a kick too!
Valentino Vaz and his pioneering distillery, Madame Rosa in Goa, have been instrumental in promoting feni to the world. Mac Vaz, Valentino’s son, champions feni tirelessly.
On my trip, it was quite an experience to sample urak, feni aged one year, an Oak Cask 2012 edition feni and a Port Oak Cask 2010 edition feni — all at one go. This was at a special dinner. Of course, there was great local food to go with it, which only enhanced the feni drinking experience.
The aged feni could well be compared to the finest whiskies. As Mac Vaz said, “Feni will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the scotches and champagnes of the world in years to come. It truly is a drink Goans need to be proud of.” I couldn’t agree more.
Mini writes about food and wine