How to Make a Pandan Negroni at Home (Bun House Disco’s Twist Explained)

Make Bun House Disco’s Pandan Negroni at Home — without the bar fuss

Struggle to recreate restaurant cocktails at home? You’re not alone. Home cooks and DIY bartenders want bold, reliable results without exotic scavenger hunts. This guide breaks Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni into small, practical steps you can do in a kitchen: sourcing pandan, making pandan-infused gin or pandan syrup, understanding rice gin, and smart pantry-friendly swaps for green Chartreuse. By the end you’ll have a repeatable recipe, batch options, storage tips and garnish ideas — all tuned for 2026’s home-bartending trends.

Why this cocktail matters in 2026

In late 2025 and early 2026, two trends converged that make the pandan negroni especially relevant: the continued mainstreaming of Southeast Asian flavors in Western bars, and the rise of craft, ingredient-driven home bartending. Bartenders and home cooks alike are favouring sustainable, locally-sourced botanicals, and pandan — the aromatic leaf used across Southeast Asian desserts — offers a unique floral, grassy aroma that lifts classic templates like the Negroni.

“Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni nods to late‑night Hong Kong energy while reworking a classic with pandan, rice gin and herbal liqueur.”

At-a-glance: the pandan negroni (single serve)

Here’s the finished drink you’ll be aiming for — bright green, aromatic pandan notes meeting the bitter-sweet backbone of a Negroni.

• 25 ml pandan-infused rice gin
• 15 ml white (dry) vermouth
• 15 ml green Chartreuse (see substitutes below)
• Stirred over ice, served on a large cube with a pandan leaf or orange twist

Before you start: tools, timing and safety

Short list of what you need and realistic timings so this feels doable after dinner.

Essential tools

• Blender or sharp knife (for pandan)
• Fine sieve + muslin or coffee filter (for straining)
• Large jar with lid (for infusions)
• Measuring jigger or small scale
• Mixing glass, bar spoon and rocks glass
• Ice — large cube mold if you have one

Timings

• Quick pandan gin (blitz & strain): 20–30 minutes
• Cold-infusion pandan gin: 6–24 hours
• Pandan simple syrup: 20 minutes (plus cooling)

Safety note

Do not heat spirits over open flame. For fast infusions, use a blender or cold infusion. When making syrup, simmer only the water and sugar with pandan — add alcohol after cooling or infuse by cold methods.

Step 1 — Sourcing pandan (fresh, frozen, or alternatives)

Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) is a fragrant green leaf used widely in Southeast Asian cooking. In many Western cities you can find fresh leaves at Asian grocery stores or specialist markets. In 2026, online specialty grocers and frozen herb programs also reliably stock pandan.

Options and conversions

• Fresh pandan leaf: Best aromatic fidelity. 10 g (about 1 medium leaf or two small blades) per 175 ml gin is a good working ratio (that’s the Bun House Disco method scaled).
• Frozen pandan: Equivalent to fresh for infusions; thaw before use.
• Pandan paste or extract: Convenient and intense. Use sparingly: start with 1/4–1/2 tsp per 175 ml gin, taste, then adjust.
• Substitute if you can’t find pandan: Use a small strip of lime zest + a few torn basil leaves for bright, herbal notes. It won’t be pandan but keeps the cocktail balanced.

Step 2 — Make pandan-infused gin: three practical methods

Choose the method that fits your timeline and equipment. The goal is vivid pandan aroma without vegetal bitterness.

Method A — Quick blender infusion (20–30 minutes)

Best when you want the flavour now.

1. Roughly chop 10 g fresh pandan (green parts only) for every 175 ml gin.
2. Place pandan and gin in a blender. Pulse 3–5 times, then blitz for 20–30 seconds — don’t overheat the blender motor.
3. Transfer the blend to a jar and let it settle for 10–20 minutes. The gin will take on a deep green colour and aromatic lift.
4. Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter to remove particulates. Repeat if needed for clarity.
5. Store in a sealed bottle. Use within 6–12 weeks; flavours are best in the first month.

Method B — Cold infusion (clearer, less vegetal, 6–24 hours)

Gentler and preferred by many bartenders.

1. Bruise or rough-chop pandan (10 g per 175 ml gin). Place in a clean jar.
2. Pour gin over pandan, seal, and store in a cool dark place for 6–24 hours. Check periodically — once the aroma and colour are to your liking, stop the infusion.
3. Strain carefully through muslin. For crystalline clarity, run through a coffee filter.
4. Label and date; use within 6–12 weeks.

Method C — Pandan syrup (non‑alcoholic or added to regular gin)

If you’d prefer to keep your gin neutral (or don’t have rice gin), pandan simple syrup is a brilliant route.

• 1 cup water (240 ml), 1 cup sugar (200 g), 3–4 pandan leaves (or 2 tsp pandan paste)
• Bring water and sugar to a simmer with pandan leaves, stir until sugar dissolves and simmer gently 5–8 minutes.
• Cool, strain, and refrigerate. Syrup keeps 10–14 days in the fridge.
• In the cocktail, substitute 15–20 ml pandan syrup + 25 ml neutral or floral gin for the pandan-infused gin portion; reduce total sweetness if needed.

Step 3 — What is rice gin — and what can you use instead?

Rice gin refers to gins distilled from rice or to locally produced Asian gins that emphasize rice or grain bases and often present a rice-driven roundness and soft mouthfeel. In 2024–2026, small distilleries across Asia expanded rice-based spirits, so they are appearing more in global markets.

When to seek real rice gin

If you want authenticity and a slightly softer, silkier base to highlight pandan, rice gin is ideal. It tends to be less piney and more floral.

Good substitutes

• Japanese gins (Roku, etc.) — floral, citrus-forward and clean.
• London Dry or New Western gins — choose a lighter, less juniper-forward bottle if available.
• Shochu or baijiu hybrid twist: If you want to lean into Asian flavours, try 50% gin + 50% light shochu for a different textured backbone. Use less if potency changes the balance.

Step 4 — The classic build: pandan negroni, step-by-step

We’re following Bun House Disco’s proportions with tender adjustments for home use.

Single serve recipe

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice.
2. Add 25 ml pandan-infused rice gin (or 25 ml gin + 15–20 ml pandan syrup).
3. Add 15 ml white (dry) vermouth.
4. Add 15 ml green Chartreuse (see substitutes below).
5. Stir 20–30 seconds until the outside of the glass feels cold and diluted ~15–20% volumetrically.
6. Strain over a single large ice cube in a rocks glass.
7. Garnish with a pandan leaf laid across the glass or a single orange twist for citrus brightness.

Why we stir, not shake

Stirring chills and clarifies the drink while preserving a silky texture — important for spirit-forward cocktails like a Negroni. Shaking would aerate and cloud the drink.

Green Chartreuse: why it matters and pantry substitutes

Green Chartreuse is an intensely herbal liqueur made by Carthusian monks with a secret recipe. It adds concentrated herbal, floral, and slightly minty notes and a vivid green hue. If you have it, use it — the cocktail’s balance leans on Chartreuse’s complexity.

Pantry-friendly substitutes (what to use when Chartreuse is unavailable)

Substitutes will not be identical. These options aim to approximate Chartreuse’s herbal density and brightness using more common liqueurs or quick house tinctures. Adjust to taste.

Option 1 — Bénédictine + anise/absinthe (fast swap)

Mix 10 ml Bénédictine + 2–3 drops absinthe or pastis per 15 ml Chartreuse. Bénédictine brings herbal-sweet backbone; a tiny hit of absinthe adds green anise brightness. Use cautiously—absinthe is powerful.

Option 2 — Yellow Chartreuse or Strega (if you have them)

Swap 1:1 with Yellow Chartreuse or Strega. Both are sweeter and less intense; the drink will be milder and slightly sweeter.

Option 3 — Quick herb tincture (home-made, 1–4 hours)

Combine 50 ml neutral spirit (vodka or brandy) with 1 tsp chopped mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, lemon balm, thyme, basil) and 1/2 tsp sugar. Steep 1–4 hours, strain, and use 15 ml in place of Chartreuse. This is fresher and more variable but brings green herb complexity.

Option 4 — Amaro + mint or green crème de menthe

Use 10–12 ml of a medium-sweet amaro (Averna-style) plus 3–5 ml green crème de menthe for color and mintiness. This produces a sweeter, slightly mint-forward result.

Quick tip: Whatever substitute you pick, start with a little less than the Chartreuse amount and add to taste — Chartreuse is potent and can easily dominate.

Scaling up: batch pandan negroni for a party

Want to make 8 servings? Scale linearly and prepare a pandan-infused gin or pandan syrup in advance.

Batch for 8

• 200 ml pandan-infused gin
• 120 ml white vermouth
• 120 ml green Chartreuse (or substitute)

Combine in a sealable bottle or pitcher, chill, and serve over ice. Stir individual pours briefly if you have a mixing glass; otherwise pour over a large ice cube. If you’re hosting a pop-up or outdoor party, this approach pairs well with pop-up service workflows and simple service tech.

Garnish, presentation and serving suggestions

Presentation makes the cocktail sing at home.

• Pandan leaf: Lay a fresh pandan leaf across the glass — aromatic and striking.
• Orange twist: Classic Negroni citrus brightness contrasts pandan. Express oils over the drink.
• Smoked option: For an evening twist, flame or briefly blowtorch an orange peel to add smoke — complimentary with herbal complexity.

Flavor profile and tuning tips

The pandan negroni sits between floral (pandan), bitter (vermouth) and herbal (Chartreuse). Here’s how to tweak:

• Too sweet: Use drier vermouth or cut pandan syrup if using syrup route.
• Too herbal: Reduce Chartreuse/substitute by 2–3 ml or increase gin by same.
• Too vegetal pandan: Reduce infusion time or use cold infusion rather than blender blitz.

Storage & shelf life

• Pandan-infused gin: Store in a cool dark place, sealed, up to 6–12 weeks. Refrigerate if you prefer; flavour will mellow after a few weeks.
• Pandan syrup: Refrigerate up to 10–14 days.
• Batched cocktail: Keep chilled and consume within 24 hours for best texture and aromatics. If you’re serving outdoors consider simple off-grid setups like solar pop-up kits for chilling on-site.

Pairing and serving occasions (weeknight, seasonal, comfort)

This cocktail works well for:

• Weeknight treat: Single-serve pandan negroni is quick if you’ve prepped pandan gin or syrup.
• Seasonal menus: Spring/summer with light seafood or late-night snacks; pandan amplifies fresh herbs and citrus.
• Comfort/Retro nights: The Bun House Disco vibe is perfect for playlists, neon lights and nostalgic menus — pair with bao or grilled satay for contrast. For late-night snacks and small-batch food thinking see scaling small-batch menus.

Advanced strategies for home bartenders (2026 trends)

As home bartending sophistication grows in 2026, try these advanced techniques:

• Vacuum infusion: Use a vacuum sealer to speed cold infusions and preserve volatile aromatics.
• Low-heat reduction syrups: Make a concentrated pandan gomme (2:1 sugar to water) for richer mouthfeel.
• Localize ingredients: Use locally-sourced herbs in your Chartreuse substitute — recent sustainable bar trends favour local herb profiles and micro-event sourcing (micro‑events & urban revival).
• Flavor layering: Combine a light pandan gin and a touch of pandan syrup for both aromatic head and mid-palate sweetness.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Over-infusing pandan: Excess time leads to grassy, vegetal notes — stop when aroma is bright and fragrant, not grassy.
• Using too much Chartreuse substitute: Many substitutes lack Chartreuse’s intensity — add gradually and taste.
• Heating spirits: Never boil alcohol — use cold techniques or only heat water/sugar for syrups.

Nutrition & responsible drinking

Alcoholic cocktails have calories and should be consumed responsibly. A pandan negroni is spirit-forward; sip slowly. If you’re tracking macros, note that the drink contains ~200–250 calories depending on spirits and syrup use. For wider wellness context and pairing with routines, see recent guides on home ambience & shared-space wellbeing.

Final takeaways — make it your own

The pandan negroni works because it marries the classic Negroni structure with Southeast Asian aromatics. Start with a conservative infusion, taste as you go, and don’t be afraid to choose a pandan syrup route if you want a quicker, more controllable sweet note. Chartreuse is ideal; when unavailable, use one of the substitutes above and tweak proportions.

In 2026, the best home cocktails are ingredient-driven and sustainable: use fresh pandan when possible, batch thoughtfully, and share the results. This recipe is an approachable bridge between restaurant craft and home convenience.

Ready to try it?

Make one pandan negroni tonight — or batch for friends this weekend. Tag your photos and share your favourite substitute in the comments. For more tested, home-friendly cocktail recipes and kitchen tips, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Cheers — and enjoy the pandan twist on a timeless classic.

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