Bengaluru Raises A Glass: Iconic Goan Feni Hits City Shelves At ₹1,300; Urrak Set For Landmark Bottled Debut

Goa’s most famous spirit has packed its bags for Bengaluru. Yes, feni, the fiery cashew-based liquor that instantly evokes the beaches and bylanes of Goa, has finally made its way to the city’s shelves. Now, the city’s bar scene is raising its glass to this iconic Goan drink.

Goa’s Feni Finds A New Home In Bengaluru

According to Deccan Herald, now, you’ll find feni at hotspots like Tonique and PEGS, though the price tag is noticeably different: ₹600 for a 500 ml bottle in Goa, but a steep ₹1,300 in Bengaluru.

For Goans, sipping feni neat, with soda, or simply with a pinch of salt is second nature. It’s less of a drink and more of a ritual. But now, the spirit is being reintroduced to a new audience that may have only heard about it as a “Goa thing.” Steering this mission is Hansel Vaz, better known in liquor circles as the “feni dotor” and the man behind the artisanal label Cazulo.

According to Hansel Vaz, Bengaluru happens to be the beating heart of India’s beverage ecosystem. He explains this while noting the city’s openness to craft spirits and its relatively smooth excise system. His strategy isn’t just to drop feni into the market and hope for the best; he’s also rolled out a Ready-to-Drink cocktail, Mr Jerry’s X Cazulo El Classico. 

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Why Mixologists Say Feni Stands Out In Cocktails

The idea behind this Ready-to-drink approach is to make the first sip less intimidating. Being an expert in this arena, he understands that not everyone takes to feni at first. The RTD format gives people a friendly entry point, he expects.

Bengaluru’s bar scene seems to agree. Mixologist Neil Alexander believes feni’s strength lies in its difference. Feni is uniquely Indian in its terroir and story. It’s less standard-issue than gin or vodka, which is exactly why it stands out. 

Cashew feni, he explains, has a bold and resinous edge, which is perfect for cocktails that need depth and backbone.

Urrak, Goa’s Best-Kept Secret, To Launch In 2026

But while feni is getting its big-city moment, there’s another Goan spirit quietly waiting in the wings: Urrak. Known as the first distillate of the cashew feni process, it’s traditionally consumed fresh, often at small taverns or roadside stalls, and never, until now, captured in bottles. Hansel Vaz is about to change that and how! 

For the first time in India’s history, Urrak will be launched as a legitimate bottled spirit in 2026. He called it “one of the world’s best-kept secrets.” It’s a move that could transform not just Goa’s distilling heritage but also how Indian spirits are seen worldwide.

Feni and Urrak offer something no other spirit can: originality in process, in source ingredients, and in heritage. According to Vaz, they’re India’s peerless offering to the world, as stated by Deccan Herald. 

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So as Bengaluru raises its first toast to feni, history is quietly brewing in Goa, one that will finally give Urrak a rightful place on the shelf, and not just in roadside shot glasses.

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