It is learnt that the Goa government has submitted a proposal to secure a GI tag for ‘urrack’. Once achieved it can be made available in bottled form, exclusively produced in Goa with authentic Goan cashews thereby ensuring authenticity. One may say that if ‘feni’ could successfully get a GI tag, why not the more soothing and equally unique Goan ‘urrack’. But it must be said that there is a world of difference between ‘feni’ and ‘urrack’. Urrack is made after the first distillation of the cashew fruit while the feni is the second or third. Like feni, urrack is very popular in Goa’s many local pubs and taverns. Urrack is only available and enjoyed in the summer season. Hence urrack is a seasonal drink. It is distilled only from March to May which is the cashew fruit-bearing season. It also has a short shelf life. Hence in bottled form it may not be possible to store it for long. It has a fruity and mildly pungent aroma and flavour. People usually prefer to drink it when it is freshly distilled. Given the fact that urrack is a seasonal drink one wonders whether the government’s effort to get a GI tag for it will be fruitful.
