Feni flavours: How more Indian restaurants are experimenting with the Goan spirit

Goa-based bartender Mayur Malik, who was born and brought up in the land of beaches, has many fond memories of Feni the Goan spirit from his childhood. "As a kid, I used to go with my father in the mountains to collect the cashew nuts to prepare an authentic Goan feni. The preparation technique and preservation made me so inspired that as a mixologist, I decided to try cocktails with Feni to take it forward to the world and share the love and authenticity of Goan Feni." Malik is one of many Goan bartenders who are experimenting with Feni in cocktails in Goa. Today, it is moving beyond the state.

Just like the fabled origins of the name Feni, derived from the Konkani word 'fenn', meaning froth, thought to emerge from the fact that bubbles appear when Feni is shaken in a bottle, the use of the spirit in cocktails has been bubbling in Goa and closer home in Mumbai over the last few years. While the use in the neighbouring state is visibly much more, it is slowly creeping into cocktail menus in the island city in more ways than one. Interestingly, it is being drunk beyond the summer season, which is usually when most people are known to enjoy it.

Feni, as it is popularly known, finds its origins in Goa. Malik explains, "The traditional method of making Cashew Feni, only tree-ripened cashew apples that have fallen are picked and taken for the crush. The cashew apples are de-seeded and then dropped into the stomping area. This area is called a 'collmi'. Cashew Feni is a triple-distilled spirit. The first distillate of the fermented neero is known as Urrak, about 15 per cent alcohol. Urrak is then mixed with neero in a proportion determined by the distiller and redistilled to give a spirit called cazulo or cajulo (40-42 per cent abv). Cazulo or cajulo is again distilled with Urrak to give a high-strength spirit called Feni (45 per cent abv)."

Traditionally drank neat, or with orange or white aerated drinks like Limca or Mirinda or simply with lime, it is a favourite among Goans. In 2016, they also got to proudly call it their heritage drink and rightly so. With so much to be proud of, bartenders and mixologists not only in Goa but also Mumbai and other regions have been using Feni to make different kinds of cocktails with local ingredients. With the fascination for all things Goa not dying out any time soon, to see Feni have its moment beyond the state is truly encouraging, especially at a time when India is experiencing a surge of homegrown gin and rum makers take over the alcohol market with their complex flavours. The fruitiness and pungency of Feni seems to be leaving a pleasant after-taste to slowly make its mark.

While some of them are done with the confines of their food laboratories, others have managed to put it on the menu especially in Mumbai. City-based resto-bar Hitchki, which has multiple outlets, is one of them that has most recently included it in the new menu they introduced in May. However, they aren't the only one. More recently, Lower Parel-based The Bombay Canteen's new cocktail menu as part of the fifth edition of the ‘Canteen Cocktail Book, Make Mine A Bombay', also features a cocktail made using Feni.

Cocktail of flavours
The buzz around the Goan heritage drink is feverishly good. Mixologist Cedrik Rodrigues, manager-beverage (Corporate) with Hitchki, shares, "We were brainstorming about wanting to introduce a cocktail with starfruit and were experimenting with different spirits. That's when we tried one version with Feni which gelled well with the flavours of starfruit." The experiment led Rodrigues to create not one but two cocktails with the Goan liquor. While the first one turned out to be 'Feni Ne Mujhe Bulaya', the second is a potent 'Amar Akbar Anthony Amandeep', the restaurant's version of a Long Island Iced Tea (LIIT).

"In the first one, the sweet and sour flavours of starfruit complemented the characteristics of Feni which were enhanced by adding apricot jam and apple wood smoke. Since we were eager to introduce a potent LIIT and were trying it with various spirits, that is when the one we tried with Feni stood apart. The ginger and kokum together cut the pungent fragrance and balanced the LIIT." They were happy to find that more people are opting to order it, realising that there are more well-travelled takers for the cocktail.

At The Bombay Canteen, the cocktail came to beverage innovations head Prantik Haldar, when he was playing around with flavours to come up with for the 'Canteen Cocktail Book', which as returned after the Covid-19 pandemic. He explains, "Since we focus a lot on local produce, and Feni being a local product that's made using ripe cashew apples that are seasonal. It only made sense for us to include an indigenous spirit like Feni into our cocktail menu."

The city-based mixologist has used the spirit in a cocktail called ‘The Duty Free'. He explains, "It is a milk-punch that is inspired by ‘Nannari Sharbat' an immensely popular, local thirst-quencher from Tamil Nadu. It has punchy tropical flavours of pineapple, coconut milk and anantmool (sarsaparilla) and is garnished with zesty, orange juice soaked sabja (basil seeds). The Feni lends a tropical, distinct, aromatic flavour to the drink." It has only been a few weeks since they have introduced the Feni cocktail, but they have noticed an interesting trend. The mixologist says diners are slightly reluctant at first but left pleasantly surprised after they are educated about the spirit, especially because most have either not tried feni neat or with a mixer, and never in a cocktail.

Notes from Feni
So, what does Feni really add to the cocktail? Haldar loves using it because of its distinct and unique flavour profile. He explains, "Since Feni is distilled from cashew apples, the pre-dominant flavours would be of cashew which includes a slightly fruity, nutty and earthy flavour profile. Along with these, Cashew Feni for instance, also has a lot of secondary flavours, which can be best described as umami and tropical. I personally get notes of banana, ripe jackfruit or even chikkoo. The overall flavour can be described as savoury and distinctly aromatic." Even though it is usually distilled at home, he says, it has the finesse to be used in cocktails and that is what makes it exciting.

Rodrigues shares the same excitement and that is why he also sees plenty of potential. It is because he truly believes that Feni has visibly gained popularity in the last few years not only in India but globally. He adds, "Feni is a clear spirit with fruity notes with a pungent aroma and at the same time, it's equally potent. Due to its own tropical fruity flavour, it improves the cocktail sipping experience."

Going beyond Goa
This very experience is also the reason for its growing popularity that has taken it out of its home state. Haldar says there are many good brands making great Feni like Tinto Feni, Cazulo Premium Feni, Big Boss Cashew Fenny that are well filtered and distilled, which encourage cocktail lovers and hospitality professionals to use it widely.

The evolution in the palates of diners is also why he believes the Goan spirit has shifted from being a spirit in Goa to a versatile potent alcohol that has the potential to travel the length and breadth of India, with the first stop visibly being Mumbai.

However, it wouldn't be possible without local interest and Haldar gives credit where it is due. He explains, "A lot of the credit also goes to Goa and the local distilleries who are making some great Feni. They have been consciously trying to get more people curious about this spirit. From letting people come to their distillery and aging house to see how it is made, to the variety of Feni that is now available from traditional, home-style to modern, there have been multiple factors that is creating popularity and a market for this spirit. A lot of newer bars in Goa have also been offering a number of cocktails with Feni. All of this is encouraging people to try and learn more about this spirit."

Like Rodrigues, Haldar has seen a rise in the number of bars exploring the use of Feni in cocktails in the last few years, more particularly 2016-17, just after it was declared a heritage drink. "This was the time when a lot of producers of Feni were trying to create interest and excitement around the spirit outside of Goa. Feni also started becoming a popular choice of spirit in cocktails amongst the bars in Goa around the same time," he adds. Over the years, even though the spirit has been called a summer drink, the perception is changing and cocktails available throughout the year are only making it more popular than ever before. Even as it is being cautiously introduced into menus in Mumbai, it is being widely celebrated in Goa beyond your local cheap bars and entering not only contemporary establishments, but also five-star properties.

Celebrating heritage in Goa
Siddesh Sawardekar, another Goan like Malik, distinctly spent a lot of time around Feni while he was growing up because he saw them being stored in furnaces during the March to May season, a feature in Goan houses making the spirit. It was used to drink, as well as cure cold and cough, he says, and in later years, was sold in the bars before making its way to five-star properties, which helped propel its popularity among tourists visiting Goa to try the Goan feni. Sawardekar, who is right in the middle of the action as a bartender at Novotel Goa Candolim, explains, "Now, the new generation is showcasing it across India, whether it is in cocktails or experimenting with different mixology, inspiration comes out of homes and local taverns to keep the Goan tradition alive." He also attributes the tag of heritage drink to its growing popularity that led people to use it in cocktails.

While cashew Feni seems to be a more popular choice for cocktails, the Goan also reminds us about the flavours of coconut Feni. He explains, "The flavour of a well-made Coconut Feni has the true spirit of Goa packed with complex notes of tropical and citrus fruits along with the hint of pepper," adding, "The traditional Cashew Feni is a botanical spirit which on the nose is pungent with tropical fruity flavours like guava, green apple, pear and jackfruit."

It is these very notes that inspires the five-star property to not only use Feni in one cocktail but in more than three different types. Some of them are Tambda Rosa, Feni Colada and Feni Mary. "We use local herbs, spice, fruits across Goa markets like infused chilli seeds, star anise, sun-dried kokum, raw mangoes, raw cashew apple, star fruits, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. It all gives the blend of aroma, spice, sweet and sourness in cocktails. The infused liquor is then used to curate innovative cocktails as per the seasonal ingredients available," he explains.

Taking his childhood experiences with Feni behind the bar at Maai Goa in Assagao, senior mixologist Malik has been experimenting with Feni cocktails long before it became popular. A learning experience which started 12 years ago, when he started his career in 2011 as a bartender in Goa. Today, he celebrates the Goan heritage drink with three flavourful cocktails - ‘Kokum with Curry Leaves', ‘Mango Chilli' and ‘Aam Panna', which he put on the menu eight months ago. While the first one is made with fresh homemade kokum, feni and tadka curry leaves, the second is made with fresh mango, Feni, green chilli and a "magic masala"; the third has aam panna syrup with Feni and some fresh herbs.

Seeing how Feni is traditionally had, Malik agrees with his Goan fellow bartender Sawardekar about its evolution beyond being a spirit in Goa, among Goans or Goan bars. "As the generations get modern and lifestyle updated, people tend to evolve to have new flavours of cocktails. As Goa's specialty is Feni, it makes the cocktail versatile and we get a chance to spread love and culture through Feni cocktails," he shares.

Even W Goa has jumped on the bandwagon, to make cocktails with Feni, and it has been on their menu since 2020. With Feni's distinctive pungent, spicy and fruity notes, Arjun Deoskar, food & beverage manager at W Goa, explores its versatility. Having seen it in local bars for close to a decade, he has seen it in mainstream bars in the last three to four years and see more people willing to try their hand at using it to make a cocktail.

He shares, "Its distinct and robust nutty flavour can add depth and complexity to a cocktail, giving it a unique taste that sets it apart from other spirits. It can infuse a cocktail with hints of the tropics, evoking images of sandy beaches, palm trees, and warm ocean breezes. Feni's versatile mixing potential allows it to pair well with various ingredients, both sweet and savoury and can be mixed with fruit juices, citrus flavours, herbs, spices, and other spirits to create a wide range of cocktails."

Knowing the true nature of Feni, Deoskar serves three cocktails made from it at W Goa. While the first is a Coconut Feni with aperitivo, salted peach and tender Coconut and water, the Dukshiri Feni is made with watermelon, jalapeno and carbonated ginger water; the Picante Collins is a delicious cocktail with Cashew Feni, lemon, salted caramel and bitter carbonated water.

At Hosa, another Goan restaurant, Varun Sharma, who is the head of bars, concocted the recipe and included it on the menu in November 2022, to celebrate its Goan roots. Sharma explains, "I love using Feni in cocktails because it adds depth and complexity to the drink. Sometimes, the addition of Feni may require some minor adjustments with other ingredients in order to achieve a well-balanced and enjoyable drink. But it's always worth it." It is not only its popularity but also its use in international competitions that Sharma feels has taken it places, and believes it has the potential to become a prominent player in the cocktail world. The fact that it is available all year round makes it even more popular.

At the restaurant, they serve two cocktails till now. "We serve Deccan Roots and Yuujin. In Deccan Roots, we use poached pear-infused Dukshiri. Dukshiri is a coconut Feni made with Indian Sarsaparilla root and is a take on Gimlet, in which we shake pear Dukshiri with house-made lime cordial." The other, he says, combines Feni with the Japanese herb wasabi with grapefruit shrub, which gives the cocktail a sharp and bittersweet taste." Since they didn't change the flavour profile of Feni, diners have already taken a liking to it. While Goa is on a roll, Mumbai is only getting started, and is only waiting for more people to enjoy unique flavours in a cocktail than stick to the classics.

Also Read: Sawan 2023: Dos and Don'ts for devotees during 'Shravan'