The Indian liqueur native to Goa? I had never heard of it until the other day. What does it taste like? 
I once received it as a gift from a friend who went to Goa. I will tell you that while I enjoy my drinks, I was never able to finish the bottle (by drinking it). A whiff from the bottle can burn your nasal hairs. I can’t compare the aroma to anything I know, just strong and penetrating and vapour-like.
It tastes like white liquor with a hint of nuttiness/earthiness to it. I found out this comes from the cashew fruit that it is made of. But make no mistake, it does not taste like cashew. I’m going to cop out and say, it’s an acquired taste:) It goes down a bit rough and is not smooth at all like good vodka. (Maybe it was cheap Fenny, I don’t know.) I normally take my drinks neat but it felt like punishment after a while so I mixed it with tonic, which made the experience a little better. Apparently the locals mix it with sweet soda but I don’t like sweet cocktails so I never tried it that way.
I had it in my liquor cabinet for about a year and I was only able to finish half the bottle. The remainder I used for cooking and that worked out well. I used it in Indian and Asian dishes including Chinese stir fry. My wife used some when baking a cake with cashew nuts and I don’t know if it made a difference, but the cake tasted great. With that being said, I won’t miss Fenny if I never see it again.
From what I’ve read, one kind of feni is made from cashew apples, which I had also never heard of, but I’m assuming they are fruit and not (as you indicate) nuts.
I’d guess the flavor of feni is similar to grappa, which to me tastes like diesel fuel. Oddly enough, my landlord, who is Greek by birth, recently gifted me with a bottle of artisan ouzo, which is apparently grappa flavored with anise. It’s actually quite nice, and has a real kick to it!
It’s disgusting. I’ve only ever had the cashew kind (they also make coconut feni)-I was in Goa for my wedding and insisted on trying it at a restaurant. I had it in a feni punch cocktail and found it so disgusting I couldn’t get through more than a couple of sips. It has an extremely off putting aroma.
I’ve had it. It’s strong and rough. Not the worst local spirit, but not the best either.
Cashew apples are the fruit of the cashew plant. It doesn’t travel well, so it generally doesn’t make it to the states, but in some parts of the world it is quite beloved. The fruit is sweet and soft, but fairly astringent.
Like persimmons? :dubious:
No - like mango skin. Deeply unpleasant. Sometime the fruit are boiled for a short time to reduce it - usually they’re just peeled carefully.
Here’s a pic.
Yeah, I really dislike them, but some people love them. They do make an exceptional jam.
The comparison to grappa is good one. Ouzo was on my mind when trying to describe the taste/mouthfeel of fenny, but I didn’t want to mention it lest anyone think there was any hint of anise in it. Ouzo-anise=Grappa≒Fenny.
Grappa and ouzo are more drinkable in my mind because the aroma is not as overpowering as it is in fenny.