Mervyn Lobo wrote: Returning to our beloved Cashew Feni, I know we are in agreement on which village produces the best stuff.
Cecil: At one time,many years back, I would swear by the Feni of my Siolim supplier. Much water, and adulterants, have flown under the bridge since and I have moved on to better offerings from other villages. My newest good discovery was in Bicholim this year. -------------- Mervyn: Lastly, two years ago someone gifted me a bottle of cashew in Goa which was the best feni bottle I have ever opened. The bottle itself is gorgeous, with a mini bottle shaped like the fruit, within it. The contents? Well let me put it this way, it is so precious that the bottle is still half full. But you remain the lucky one for now, as cashew feni aged in wooden barrels, is available in Goa. With premium feni now available in Toronto, I hope it is only a matter of time before we get aged feni in Toronto as well. Cecil: 1) Do not judge a Feni by its bottle. Yes, that particular brand/bottle has a pretty decent Feni but the price makes it not suitable for regular drinking. I wouldn't mind paying 1/3rd the price for the same liquid in a regular bottle. Overly fancy bottles are for tourists and showcases. 2) Roland would look at the bottle as half-empty. 3) The 'Feni aged in oak barrels' and 'Feni in fancy bottles' and 'Feni tasting sessions in 5-Star hotels for Page-3 folks who will not drink Feni for the remaining 364 days of the year' shows the lack of imagination of the leaders of the Feni industry in Goa. Probably the only person who is looking at Feni seriously and experimenting and researching and studying and testing in a proper way is Hansel Vaz (of Cazulo fame). How exactly does the oak barrel enhance the taste of Caju Feni? Will it make it vastly different from the infusions currently used? Does a liquor with a powerful bouquet like Caju Feni actually need any infusions? These and similar questions should be asked before mindlessly aping the West and focussing on marketing gimmicks rather than improving quality through existing methods. There are a few traditional distillers out there churning out fantastic stuff. They should be encouraged and empowered - which is what Hansel is doing. I do my bit in support too - by consuming copious amounts! --------------- Mervyn: PS. I am still searching for that all elusive, "The Connoisseurs Guide to Cashew Feni." Cecil: Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.... Cheers! ==============