Yet, in this
cosy little nook lives a man who works his
trade, stirring a ladle through a cauldron
with mirth and glee, all to produce a little
potion that is well on its way to international
recognition. Licor Armada, made by Oscar
de Sequeira Nazareth, is a liqueur that is in
the process of turning several heads.
The Goan liqueur has only today won the
top award at the ‘2014 International Wine
& Spirit Competition’ – the oldest and most
prestigious competition of its kind which
recognises the most outstanding wines and
spirits in the world. In the year 2013, out of
thousands of entries worldwide, only two
liqueurs were awarded Gold Outstanding.
No Indian product has ever won the medal
before. Licor Armada is the first Indian-made
product to receive the accolade (formerly
known as the Gold, Best-in-Class medal).
“It doesn’t get more prestigious than this
and there is no other obstacle to overcome.
Last year, I was awarded the Silver Medal, so
there was a notch higher to still go. The only
thing that I can now hope to achieve is to
continuously meet the standards that I have
set for myself by winning this award. For
me, this is an achievement that has honestly
left me speechless, which in itself is saying
something,” chuckles Oscar de Sequeira
Nazareth, founder of Licor Armada.
Armada is based on an original family
recipe that dates back to the Portuguese
Empire. It is still made in small batches,
using the finest natural spices and
fruit, while veering away from artificial
colours, flavours and preservatives. As
all the ingredients involved are natural,
the waste products involved are entirely
biodegradable. Furthermore, Oscar points
out that the bottles that are used are
recycled in order to keep the environmental
footprint of his enterprise low, while
sourcing local ingredients where possible,
in a manner which
he believes will in
turn help the local
economy.
Oscar believes, “It
is important to note
that despite being
launched under
18 months ago,
Licor Armada has
already conquered
the world’s most
prestigious spirits
medal. The
competition on
display was from
all the major global
players. As such,
I feel this is a vindication of my vision to
produce and promote a totally original, all
natural, top quality product that’s made
right here in Goa. The best spirits judges in
the world have declared Licor Armada to
be a drink that sets international standard –
there can be no higher praise than that.”
With the bar now having been set high,
all Oscar can do now is keep the smiles on
peoples’ faces by continuing to brew his
internationally acclaimed concoction that
he feels embodies the spirit of Goa.
