There’s something electric in the air as the feni season hits its stride in Goa. The cashew apples are ripe, the stills are bubbling, and bartenders across the state are swapping out classic serves for funky and fresh creations with Urraca & Feni. It’s a vibe, it’s a ritual, and it’s one of the most exciting moments in India’s spirit calendar.
But this year, there’s more than just local excitement. Feni- OG Goan spirit with deep roots and big personality- is gaining attention from some of the best bars in the world. We’re seeing it pop up in cocktail programs in London, Tokyo, and New York, where bartenders are falling head over heels for its wild, terroir-driven profile and untamed charm. And closer to home, a new generation of Indian bartenders is rediscovering feni and its seasonal sibling, Urraca, not as curiosities, but as worthy, world-class ingredients.
So, if you’ve written feni off as "just something tourists try once and never again," it might be time to update your palate, and your back bar.
“It is culturally forbidden to pick cashew off the tree, and for that matter even shake down a tree. It only falls when nature intends.” - Hansel Vaz
A Spirit with Soil in Its Soul
Feni isn’t just a spirit. It’s a full-blown cultural expression. Made from either cashew apples or coconut toddy (though it’s the former that’s most common and celebrated), feni production is hyperlocal, deeply traditional, and completely tied to the land it comes from.
And that land? It smells like ripe fruit, sea air, smoke, and spice. And so does the spirit.
Cashew feni has a bold, fruity funk that demands attention. It’s grassy, juicy, slightly saline, and finishes with a lift that makes it ideal for bold-style highballs or unexpected twists on classics like the Margarita or Paloma. Think of it as India’s answer to rhum agricole or mezcal. Raw, real, and unfiltered. It’s not for everyone, but for those who get it? It’s obsession-worthy.
Urraca: The Short-Lived Star
If feni is the seasoned actor, urraca is the fresh-faced protege. Distilled only once (compared to feni’s double distillation), Urraca is low-ABV, highly perishable, and only available for a couple of glorious months a year. It’s juicy, gentle, and oh-so-refreshing. Best served with soda, lime, chilli, and a sprinkle of salt, though that does depend on which area of Goa you are drinking in.
This season, bars across Goa have been throwing urraca parties with visiting bartenders from all over the country coming to create liquid delights while they can get their hands on this short-lived stunner. From Vagator to Panjim, bartenders are leaning into urraca’s fresh, funky charm and treating it with the reverence usually reserved for seasonal produce or limited-edition bottlings.
You only need to step in to Hideaway on a Monday to witness the packed bar and energised vibe for their weekly “Big Fat Urrak Party” to see this is not just a passing trend. With the special urraca cocktail menu selling out within a few hours, it is easy to see this spirit is versatile and popular with locals and tourists alike. I spoke with Sheldon Abranches, partner at iconic Goa venues Hideaway and Juna, about why they brought in the concept.
“Urrak is revered in Goa — but also under-celebrated beyond it. We wanted to create a space where this local spirit can be explored and reinterpreted by fresh eyes, bringing in people from across the country to offer their own twist on this classic Goan summer serve.This is the second year we’re doing this and people have really taken to it. It’s allowing people to come together and enjoy urrak in ways they’ve not done before. Urrak has always been a fun spirit that is best enjoyed with a group of friends, and we’re just bringing that idea back.” - Sheldon Abranches
If you’re in Goa and not celebrating with Urraca this month, ask yourself why not. It’s a killer conversation starter for your guests, a great way to tie into local storytelling, and an opportunity to celebrate seasonality in Indian mixology.
A Freshwater Spring, a Pairing, and a Moment
Now, let’s move into feni education. If you ever get the chance to visit Fazenda Cazulo (birthplace of Cazulo Premium Feni), do it! Not only will you learn about the history and production of this unique spirit in a laughter filled environment from the Feni Doctor himself - Hanzel Vaz, but it has one of the most memorable tasting sessions I have ever experienced. In a freshwater spring.
Yes, a freshwater spring.
One of the most enjoyable experiences in the summer heat is their freshwater feni tasting and pairing session. Imagine this: you’re sitting knee-deep in a cool Goan spring, cashew trees overhead, sipping feni cocktails paired with Goan bites. The water cooling your calves and tiny fish nibbling at your toes, someone hands you a glass of feni, then asks you to take a nibble of a perfectly paired bite, and suddenly everything makes sense. It’s transportive, grounding, and just a little bit magical.
It’s the kind of experience that reframes what feni is, and explains exactly how to work with the powerful flavours when mixing in cocktails.
Feni steps into the limelight.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Hansel Vaz, Founder Cazulo Premium Feni (and a key advocate for feni across the globe), about his insights into the current feni market, and what the future holds.
Q. What’s your take on traditional vs. modern feni techniques?
HV: Feni is a G.I product and so there is very little we can do with it. Incredibly feni processes have remained relatively unchanged for at least 500 years, offering a consumer to taste a spirit in its most original form. It would be incredibly hard to change culture without tripping on toes. However there is scope to use technology to make things more efficient. Embracing modernity should not come at the cost of losing feni's soul.
Q. How do you decide when a cashew apple is ripe enough to harvest?
HV: Workers pick only naturally tree ripened and naturally fallen fruit. It is culturally forbidden to pick cashew off the tree, and for that matter even shake down a tree. It only falls when nature intends.
Q. What impact does the terroir have on your final spirit?
HV: Whilst terroir in a distilled spirit may have its charms, its the wild yeast that we use in Feni production that make it so interesting. Our distilleries have been in operation for at least a hundred years, and so our yeast has been a biological part of the distillery for at least a hundred years. Lets talk about terroir on a whole new plane of discussion- chalky soils are for the amateurs!
Q. How is climate change affecting your harvest?
HV: All fruit bearing trees have been affected in the past decade. Climate change has resulted in unseasonal rains that not only affects the flower blossoms, but also the dilution of sugar within the fruit. But in the tropics we also have to deal with hotter summers, which scorch the blossoms and result in forest fires. We are seeing these conditions favorable for 2 pests in particular- the tea bug mosquito that kills new branches and from the soil the stem borer, that attacks the tree from the soil below and eats the tree from within killing it. We are losing 5% of our trees every year.
For the past 3 years Cazulo has initiated a tree planting program. We plant 1000 trees every year directly in farms while involving children; rejuvenating old orchards, building an economic future for the farmer and cementing bonds. We have pledged 3000 this year to be planted along the NDZ line of the coast to act as a buffer from the sea wind and prevent sand erosion.
Q. What’s the biggest misconception bartenders have about feni?
HV: You can’t wing it, you cannot replace tequila or a pisco and think you can create a feni recipe.
Also culturally urraca is a simple drink... they tend to over complicate it to make it fancy. It's like Beaujolais noveau- it's fun, light hearted and flirty....don't mess with it.
Bringing Feni Forward
The future of feni isn’t just about preserving tradition, it’s about pushing boundaries. And that’s where you, dear bartender, come in.
Whether you’re in a cocktail bar in Goa, a speakeasy in Delhi, this season is your chance to celebrate something truly special and unmistakably Indian. Work it into a riff on a Daiquiri. Use it to spice up a Bloody Mary. Build a fizzy brunch cocktail with Urraca, ginger, and fresh herbs. Or just serve it neat, with a side of storytelling.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore it. Because this little spirit from a tiny corner of India? It’s ready to go global. And it's taking us along for the ride.
