The Goan spirit made from coconut sap is feni, specifically coconut feni. It is a distilled liquor from Goa, India, traditionally produced by fermenting toddy collected from coconut-palm flower sap.
Toddy-tappers collect the sap from the palm’s flower stalk, allowing it to ferment naturally for several days. The fermented liquid is then distilled in a traditional pot still. Coconut feni is also known as maddel or maddachim fenni, while cashew feni is made from fermented cashew-apple juice.
Feni’s name is linked to a Sanskrit word meaning “foam” or “froth,” referring to the bubbles that can appear when it is shaken or poured. Coconut palms have long been abundant along India’s Konkan coast, helping make coconut feni a longstanding Goan specialty.
A common mix-up is assuming that all feni is made from cashews. Cashew feni is now more widely known and received a geographical-indication registration in 2009, but coconut feni is a distinct traditional variety. Commercially bottled coconut feni is commonly around 42.8% alcohol by volume.