A Drink of Story and Spice, Hansel Vaz Unveils the History of Goa’s Misunderstood Spirit
~ Hansel Vaz, founder of Cazulo Feni, Goa’s premier distillery, enlightened the audience about the origin and evolution of the treasured Goan drink, feni, at the Museum of Goa, Pilerne, in his tasting and storytelling session titled ‘Savour Flavour: Feni’s Aromatic Journey’.~ Vaz spoke about forgotten techniques and unique ingredients that were used in the earlier processes of distillation and urges current distillers to experiment and expand the speciality.
saligao: 2025: For centuries, the story of feni, Goa’s double-distilled spirit, has been simplified, sidelined and often misunderstood. Geologist turned spirit alchemist Hansel Vaz, also known as the feni dotor, set the record straight in an enlightening storytelling and tasting of Feni, its history and its hidden journey, that began with the South American spice trade.
At his recent feni tasting and storytelling session at the Museum of Goa, Pilerne, titled ‘Savour Flavour: Feni’s Aromatic Journey’ Vaz, founder of Cazulo Feni, Goa’s premier distillery, says, “Feni has been the most abused spirit in storytelling. It’s time we unlearn the cliches and rediscover it as a beverage born from migration, spice trade, alchemy and medicinal wisdom.”
Vaz took the audience on a deep dive into how feni’s roots were traced to the cross-continental spice routes that brought cashew and chilli to Goa. Vaz connected the dots between the South American spice trade, saying, “Just like chillies came to Goa by accident, so did cashews. What we did with it? That was no accident.”
Speaking about ancient ayurvedic concepts and modern-day experimentation, Vaz revealed hidden ingredients and less known techniques like botanical distillation and fat-washing, now being reintroduced into Goa’s evolving beverage scene. Sarasparilla, a root, was used to make the root-infused feni, Dukshiri and is said to have helped eradicate body and muscle aches. “The intriguing factor of it all was that the forager at no point in time sold directly to the distiller. The market was completely secretive,” Vaz explained.
“These aren’t just drinks. They are rooted in history that wakes you at the break of the day. Literally. They are drinks born from forgotten roots and now reborn in modern Goa,” he says. “A group of friends and I had found ourselves awake early the next day after a night of drinking Dukshiri, something unusual for the group,” Vaz recalls.
He’s calling on more distillers, foragers, bartenders, chefs and storytellers to collaborate, experiment and expand the speciality, rather than commodify it. “The more people who play with these concoctions, the more we grow this movement together.”
To Vaz, distilleries of the old, weren’t just liquor creators but alchemists who added botanicals into the process of distillation, taking a simple feni and transforming its flavour, and he seeks to restore the authenticity of the treasured Goan drink.
Loading ...
