Make a Pandan Negroni at Home: Asian-Twist Cocktail for Gin Lovers

Make a Pandan Negroni at Home — fast, pantry-friendly, and balanced for gin lovers

Short on time, limited ingredients, and craving something both bitter and fragrant? The pandan negroni answers that exact pain point: it’s a Negroni-style drink that keeps the familiar gin backbone while adding Southeast Asian perfume from pandan. This guide recreates Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni at home with step-by-step methods, pantry-friendly substitutes, and clear tips for cocktail balancing so the pandan sweetness never overpowers the bitter shoulders of a Negroni.

Why this pandan negroni matters in 2026

From late 2025 into 2026 we've seen two clear trends converge: a surge in Asian cocktails on global menus and a home-bartending boom fueled by people who want restaurant-quality drinks without the price tag. Pandan — long used across Southeast Asia for aroma — is now a pantry-friendly flavor many bartenders and home cooks keep on hand, alongside staples like citrus, bitters and a library of liqueurs. At the same time, craft distillers in Asia have popularised rice gin, but many home bars still rely on London dry options; this guide accounts for both.

At-a-glance recipe (single serve)

Inspired by Bun House Disco’s version, this is the build you’ll make and tweak:

• 25ml pandan-infused gin (see infusion methods)
• 15ml white vermouth (Lillet Blanc, Cocchi Americano or dry vermouth as alternatives)
• 15ml green Chartreuse (or a herbal substitute — see pantry swaps)
• Ice (one large cube preferred)
• Garnish: pandan leaf or orange twist

Method (summary): measure, stir with ice to proper dilution, strain into a rocks glass over a big cube, garnish. Full steps are below.

Why the proportions?

Classic Negronis are equal parts, but this pandan twist uses less pandan-infused gin and emphasizes the herbal lift from green Chartreuse and white vermouth. That keeps the cocktail spirit-forward while letting pandan's fragrance peek through instead of dominating.

Two ways to make pandan flavor at home (fast & pantry-friendly)

Pandan infusion: quick-blend method (5–15 minutes)

This mirrors Bun House Disco’s kitchen method — simple and fast.

1. Rinse 1 medium pandan leaf and use only the green part (10g per ~175ml gin is a good ratio).
2. Roughly chop and place in a blender with 175ml gin. Blitz for 10–20 seconds — just enough to release aroma; avoid over-blending which releases chlorophyll and bitterness.
3. Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter. Let it sit and drain; if you want crystal clarity, double strain through a paper filter.
4. Use immediately or rest 1–2 hours in the fridge. The color will deepen but flavour stabilizes quickly.

Cold maceration & sous-vide (better for make-ahead)

Use when you plan ahead or want a cleaner, more controlled infusion.

1. Place pandan leaves and gin in a sealed jar or vacuum bag. Cold-macerate in the fridge for 12–24 hours, tasting every 6 hours. Stop when aromatic but not grassy.
2. Alternatively, vacuum-seal and sous-vide at 50°C (122°F) for 45–60 minutes for a fast, smooth infusion without grassy notes.
3. Strain as above and store refrigerated up to 4 weeks.

Pandan syrup — when you want extra sweetness or a non-alcohol option

If you don’t want to infuse gin, make pandan syrup instead. This is useful for low-ABV versions, mocktails, or when you prefer control over sweetness.

1. Combine 200ml water and 200g sugar in a saucepan.
2. Add 3–4 pandan leaves (tied or bruised) and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Cool to room temp, strain, discard leaves. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
4. Start with 5–10ml syrup in the cocktail and adjust; pandan syrup is sweet and aromatic, so less is often more.

Step-by-step: build the pandan negroni at home

1. Measure: 25ml pandan-infused gin, 15ml white vermouth, 15ml green Chartreuse.
2. Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the spirits.
3. Stir 20–30 seconds until the drink is well-chilled and slightly diluted — aim for roughly 20–25% dilution by volume (this is the typical target for stirred spirit-forward cocktails).
4. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
5. Express an orange peel over the drink and rub it on the rim, or tuck a pandan leaf (trimmed) into the glass for aroma.

Pantry-friendly substitutes (when you don’t have everything)

Home bars are rarely perfect. Below are realistic swaps that keep the spirit of the pandan negroni — and how each will change the drink’s profile.

• Pandan leaves: If fresh pandan isn’t available, use pandan extract/paste (start with 2–3 drops per 175ml gin and taste) or store-bought pandan syrup (reduce added sweetness elsewhere). Dry pandan powder can work; rehydrate in a little warm water first.
• Rice gin: If you don’t have rice gin, use a floral or citrus-forward London dry gin. For a rice-like mouthfeel, gently infuse neutral grain spirit or vodka with pandan and a touch of lemongrass before adding juniper-forward gin for complexity.
• White vermouth alternatives: Cocchi Americano or Lillet Blanc are close — slightly sweeter and more floral. If you only have dry vermouth, reduce the herbaceous edge by adding 1–2ml simple syrup or a drop of pandan syrup to round it out.
• Green Chartreuse substitutes: Green Chartreuse is unique (complex, 55% ABV, herbal). Best substitutes:
  • Yellow Chartreuse (milder, sweeter) — use the same volume but expect it to be sweeter.
  • Combine 10ml Bénédictine + 5ml herbal amaro (or 2 dashes herbal bitters) for an herbal substitute.
  • If bitterness is what you miss, add 10–15ml Campari in place of some Chartreuse to get that bitter backbone — the drink will shift toward classic Negroni territory.

Balancing pandan sweetness with classic bitter notes — practical rules

Balancing is the secret to making an Asian-twist cocktail like this feel like a true Negroni cousin rather than a dessert. Use these specific levers:

• Adjust sweetness first: If pandan syrup was used, reduce it by 25% and taste. Pandan can read very sweet because of its aroma.
• Increase bitterness strategically: Add a splash (5–10ml) of Campari or another bitter amaro if the pandan is dominating. This restores the classic bitter-sweet axis without killing the pandan aroma.
• Tweak vermouth: Move to a dryer vermouth or reduce it slightly to let bitterness show. Or choose Cocchi/Cocchi Americano for citrus lift that cuts through pandan.
• Use acid: A single drop of fresh lime or grapefruit juice can sharpen the flavours and make pandan feel less cloying. Don’t add more than 2–3ml unless you want a different category of drink.
• Control dilution: If the pandan feels flat or overly sweet, stir a few extra seconds to increase dilution and temper sweetness.
• Finish with bitters or saline: 1–2 dashes of Angostura or orange bitters can anchor aromatics; a tiny pinch of saline (1–2 drops of saline solution) lifts flavor perception and reduces cloying sensations.

"When pandan sings but won’t share the stage, invite bitterness back with a measure of Campari or a dash of bitters." — practical balancing tip

Batching & make-ahead tips (for 6 servings)

Want to make a pitcher for a small gathering? Keep the spirit ratio but multiply:

• Pandan-infused gin: 150ml (25ml × 6)
• White vermouth: 90ml (15ml × 6)
• Green Chartreuse: 90ml (15ml × 6)

Mix in a sealed bottle, chill, and stir with ice right before serving. If using pandan syrup instead of pandan-infused gin, prepare the syrup in advance and add to taste; syrup shortens shelf-life — use within 7 days refrigerated. For larger batches and event-ready scaling, see the Weekend Seller Playbook for tips on batching, chilling, and serving.

Advanced strategies & troubleshooting

Avoiding grassy or vegetal notes

• Don’t over-blend pandan leaves — long blending extracts chlorophyll and bitter compounds.
• Cold maceration (12–24 hours) or sous-vide (50°C) gives a cleaner aroma than aggressive heat or long high-speed blending.
• If your infusion tastes green and vegetal, dilute with extra gin or top up bitter liqueur to mask unpleasant notes — or repurpose the infusion into a lower-ABV spritz with tonic and citrus.

Color and clarity

Pandan infusions produce a lovely green; but fine particulates can cloud the drink. Double-strain through muslin and then a coffee filter for crystal clarity. If color is too dark, reduce infusion time or dilute the gin portion.

Measuring potency and ABV

Green Chartreuse is high-proof. If you want a lighter drink, drop Chartreuse to 10ml and substitute 5ml white vermouth or 5ml water. For a low-ABV version, use pandan syrup and non-alcoholic gin alternatives and increase bitters and vermouth alternatives.

Pairings, occasions & serving style

The pandan negroni is perfect for Asian-fusion dinners, particularly dishes with grilled proteins, sticky-sweet sauces, or spicy chili notes. Try it with:

• Southeast Asian street-food plates: grilled satay, char siu, or spiced tofu
• Snack boards: aged cheeses with a touch of fruit paste, salted nuts
• As an aperitif before a family-style dinner to awaken the appetite

For small dinner events and pop-up-hosted tastings, see Micro‑Showrooms & Pop‑Up Gift Kiosks for ideas on presentation and serving flows.

Real-world experience: what bartenders are doing in 2026

Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni is part of a wider movement where bartenders marry classic cocktails with regional botanicals. In 2026, bars in London, Singapore and Tokyo are experimenting with rice-gin bases, pandan fat-washes (for mouthfeel), and sustainable practices like reusing spent pandan leaves for syrups or bitters. At home, you can replicate much of this with a small sous-vide or by batch-infusing gin overnight.

Actionable takeaways

• Keep it simple: Use 25ml pandan-infused gin + 15ml white vermouth + 15ml green Chartreuse for a single serving.
• Make pandan at home: Blitz briefly or cold-macerate—avoid over-extraction to prevent bitterness.
• Balance with bitterness: Add Campari or a bitter amaro if pandan sweetness overwhelms; use acid or bitters to sharpen the profile.
• Use pantry swaps: Pandan extract, Lillet/Cocchi, and Bénédictine combinations can stand in when originals aren’t available.
• Scale smart: Batch the spirits, but stir with ice before serving for correct dilution.

Final tasting checklist (before you serve)

• Is the pandan aromatic but not cloying? If not, cut syrup or increase bitter component.
• Does bitterness sit under the aromatics rather than masked by pandan? If pandan dominates, add 5–10ml Campari or a dash of bitters.
• Is the texture smooth and properly diluted? Add an extra 5–10 seconds of stirring if it tastes too strong.

Ready to try it? This pandan negroni balances the allure of Southeast Asian fragrance with the bitter-sweet backbone Negroni lovers crave. Experiment with infusion times, try rice gin if you can find it, and don’t be afraid to substitute intelligently from your pantry.

Call to action

Make a batch this weekend and tag your shot on social with #PandanNegroni and @foodblog.live — or share any pantry swaps that worked for you. Want a printable recipe card or a batching calculator sized for 3–12 guests? Click through to download our free home-bartending toolkit and join our monthly newsletter for seasonal Asian-cocktail recipes and 2026 trend briefs.

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