How to Make a Pandan Negroni at Home (Plus Alcohol-Free Swap)

Make Bun House Disco’s Pandan Negroni at Home — and a Clear Alcohol-Free Swap

Short on cocktail inspiration but craving something wildly fragrant, green, and utterly memorable? This pandan negroni recreates Bun House Disco’s iconic take on the classic with pandan-infused rice gin, white vermouth and green chartreuse — plus a fully alcohol-free version that keeps the herbal, pandan-forward character intact. Read on for a step-by-step recipe, a pandan syrup method, sourcing tips for pandan and rice gin, and smart substitutions for the chartreuse note.

Why this matters now (2026 trends)

In 2025–26 we saw three key shifts that make this recipe especially timely: the mainstreaming of Southeast Asian ingredients in Western bars, a rapid expansion of rice-based and craft gins from Asia, and sustained growth in the non-alcoholic spirits & vermouth alternatives category as more drinkers seek sophisticated alternatives to booze. Retail and food platforms are also pushing non-alcoholic content year-round, so a well-crafted alcohol-free negroni feels both modern and necessary.

“The popularity of pandan and rice-based spirits has moved beyond niche bars — home bartenders are experimenting with these flavors in 2026.”

At-a-glance: The pandan negroni you’ll make

• Main cocktail: Pandan-infused rice gin 25ml, white vermouth 15ml, green chartreuse 15ml
• Serving: Rocks glass, large ice cube, expressed citrus peel
• Time: 20–45 minutes (including infusion); make pandan syrup in 15 minutes
• Skill level: Beginner-friendly with one blender/strainer step

What you’ll need (ingredients & kit)

Ingredients — booze version (serves 1)

• 10g fresh pandan leaf (green part only) for 175ml rice gin infusion; you’ll measure out 25ml for one drink
• 25ml pandan-infused rice gin (recipe below)
• 15ml white vermouth (chilled)
• 15ml green chartreuse
• Large ice cube or plenty of ice for stirring
• Orange or lime peel for garnish

Ingredients — alcohol-free version (serves 1)

• 25ml non-alcoholic rice spirit (or homemade botanical rice “gin” — recipe included)
• 15ml non-alcoholic white vermouth alternative (available from non-alc brands or make a dry white-wine shrub)
• 15ml herbal green cordial (chartreuse substitute — recipe below)
• Pandan syrup, optional for extra pandan flavor (10–15ml)

Kit

• Blender or mortar & pestle
• Fine sieve and muslin or coffee filter
• Measuring jigger
• Mixing glass and bar spoon (or any tall glass for stirring)
• Rocks glass and large ice cube

Step-by-step: Pandan-infused rice gin (makes ~175ml)

This method recreates Bun House Disco’s technique: a quick blitz-and-strain that leaves vibrant color and aroma.

1. Prepare pandan: Use the green part only. Rinse once, pat dry, and roughly chop 10g (about 1 small leaf segment). Fresh pandan gives the best fragrance; frozen pandan works too. If using pandan paste/extract, reduce quantity — see sourcing tips below.
2. Combine with gin: Place the chopped pandan and 175ml rice gin in a blender. Pulse in short bursts for 15–30 seconds — enough to break down leaf and release aroma without introducing too much vegetal bitterness.
3. Rest briefly: Let the blended mix sit for 5–10 minutes. This allows more aromatic oils to continue infusing.
4. Strain: Pour through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter. Press gently with the back of a spoon to extract liquid while leaving behind fibrous material. The gin will be vivid green.
5. Store: Use 25ml immediately for your negroni; keep the rest refrigerated up to 1 week or freeze in 25ml cubes for later use.

Notes on bitterness and color

Blending releases chlorophyll and other green compounds; keep blitz time short to avoid grassy bitterness. If your infusion tastes too vegetal, let it rest in the fridge for a few hours — flavors will mellow. You can also balance with a touch of pandan syrup (10ml) when building the cocktail.

Step-by-step: The Pandan Negroni (alcohol version)

1. Measure 25ml pandan-infused rice gin, 15ml white vermouth and 15ml green chartreuse into a mixing glass.
2. Add plenty of ice and stir for 20–30 seconds to chill and dilute. The Negroni family benefits from good dilution to round edges.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube.
4. Express an orange or lime peel over the drink and drop it in. Optional: flamed orange for dramatic aroma.

Tasting notes

The pandan brings a heady, grassy-sweet top note; the rice gin’s soft body and slightly cereal profile keeps the drink round; white vermouth adds dry, floral backbone and the green chartreuse brings dense herbal complexity and a hint of anise. The finish is aromatic, slightly sweet, and bittersweet — an elegant, neon-green riff on a classic.

Alcohol-free adaptation: How to make an alcohol-free pandan negroni

In 2026 many bars have sophisticated non-alc options. This mocktail keeps the balance of bitter, herbal and pandan without alcohol.

Core strategy

Replace each alcoholic element with a non-alc equivalent that replicates its role: spirit (body and botanicals), vermouth (dry & aromatics), and chartreuse (intense herbal complexity). Use pandan syrup or pandan tea to maintain the defining pandan flavor.

Recipe (serves 1)

• 25ml non-alc rice-style spirit or homemade rice botanical base (recipe below)
• 15ml non-alc dry vermouth substitute (see options below)
• 15ml green herbal cordial (chartreuse substitute — quick recipe below)
• Optional 5–10ml pandan syrup for extra pandan flavor

Make a quick non-alc rice botanical base

If you don’t have a commercial non-alcoholic rice spirit, make a simple botanical base:

1. Steep 200ml hot water with 1 tablespoon jasmine rice (toasted lightly), a strip of lemon peel, 1 crushed cardamom pod and 1 sprig thyme for 15 minutes.
2. Strain and chill. Use 25ml of this concentrate in your mocktail and add 5–10ml of a commercial non-alc botanical spirit (optional) to increase complexity.

Non-alc vermouth substitute

• Buy a commercial non-alcoholic vermouth-style product, or
• Make a quick dry shrub: steep 100ml white grape juice with 1 teaspoon dried chamomile, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/2 teaspoon wormwood substitute (gentian or gentian bitters tincture) for 30 minutes. Strain and chill.

Green chartreuse substitute (herbal cordial)

Green Chartreuse is complex; for a non-alc version, make an herbaceous cordial that emphasizes rosemary, lemon balm and ginger with gentle bitterness.

1. Combine 200ml water, 100g sugar (or 80g if you want less sweet), 1 sprig rosemary, 6 lemon balm leaves, 1 tsp crushed juniper, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, and the zest of 1 lime.
2. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes.
3. Strain and add 1–2 drops of gentian tincture or a few dashes of alcohol-free bitters for that bitter backbone.
4. Cool and measure 15ml per mocktail.

Build the mocktail

1. Measure your non-alc rice base (25ml), non-alc vermouth (15ml) and herbal cordial (15ml) into a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir 20–30 seconds, strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass, and express an orange peel.

Practical pandan syrup — save time and dial sweetness

Pandan syrup is an easy way to add concentrated pandan aroma and a touch of sweetness without overpowering the cocktail.

Quick pandan syrup (makes ~200ml)

1. Roughly chop 3 pandan leaves (or 2 tsp pandan paste) and add to 200ml water and 200g sugar.
2. Bring to a simmer, stir to dissolve sugar, then simmer 5–7 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and steep 30 minutes for stronger aroma.
4. Strain and bottle. Keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube tray.

Sourcing tips: pandan, rice gin, and non-alc components

Finding ingredients is easier in 2026 than ever. Here’s where to look and what to ask for.

Pandan

• Fresh pandan leaves: Your best aroma. Check Asian supermarkets, farmer markets, or frozen sections. Frozen retains aroma well; defrost before use.
• Pandan paste/extract: Very concentrated — use sparingly. Good for syrup-making or if you don’t have fresh leaves.
• Pandan powder: Useful for dry applications and for dusting or blending into syrups.
• Storage: Buy frozen pandan where possible to reduce waste; freeze for months.

Rice gin (and rice-based spirits)

Rice gin is a growing craft category. When shopping, look for terms like “rice gin”, “sake-based gin”, or “gin distilled from rice alcohol.” Specialist liquor stores, craft spirit retailers, and online marketplaces that focus on Asian imports are good bets. If you can, ask the retailer for tasting notes — rice gins tend to have a softer, sweeter base that pairs beautifully with pandan.

Non-alcoholic spirits & vermouth alternatives

The non-alcoholic shelf exploded after 2024; by 2026 many brands make botanical, vermouth-style and bitter alternatives. Look for botanical non-alc “gins” and vermouth-style aperitifs, or craft your own shrubs and cordials as described above.

Advanced tips from bartenders (experience-driven)

• Balance is everything: Pandan is aromatic but can be cloying if over-sugared. Use pandan syrup sparingly and adjust to taste.
• Control chlorophyll: If your gin tastes grassy, reduce blending time or use a quick maceration (cold steep for 6–12 hours) instead of blitzing.
• Experiment with dilution: Stir longer if you prefer a softer, more integrated flavor. Negroni-family drinks benefit from deliberate dilution.
• Make it a batch: Multiply the infusion and mix proportions for parties, then keep chilled and serve over ice.
• Pairing: This pandan negroni pairs well with grilled prawns, char siu, and richer vegetarian dishes like mushroom bao. The herbal bitterness cuts through fat and umami.

Variations & advanced swaps

• Lower-ABV version: Use a mix of rice gin and non-alc botanical spirit to drop alcohol while keeping botanicals.
• Smoky twist: Add 2–3 drops Lapsang tea tincture or use a smoked salt rim for a smoky pandan negroni.
• More bitter: Add 2–3 ml Aperol or a dash of amaro if you want more bitter-sweet contrast (alcoholic).
• Tea-forward: Replace vermouth with chilled jasmine tea concentrate (for a lighter, tea-forward riff).

Make-ahead, storage & sustainability tips

• Infused pandan gin: Refrigerate up to 7 days or freeze in 25ml cubes for single-serve convenience.
• Pandan syrup: Refrigerate 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube trays for measured usage.
• Buy frozen pandan where possible to reduce waste; use leftover pandan leaves in rice cooking or desserts.
• Choose sustainably produced gins and non-alc brands where possible; look for craft distillers using local rice and low-waste practices.

Why this recipe works — and future predictions

This pandan negroni succeeds because it keeps the classic Negroni structure while introducing a botanically intense Asian aroma that complements herbaceous liqueurs. Looking ahead in 2026, expect more hybrid cocktails that fuse traditional Western templates with Southeast Asian aromatics: think pandan, kaffir, tamarind, and rice-forward spirits. The non-alcoholic sector will continue to refine botanical complexity, making alcohol-free riffs indistinguishable in ceremony and depth.

Troubleshooting quick guide

• Too vegetal? Reduce pandan infusion time and add more vermouth for balance.
• Too sweet? Cut back pandan syrup or use a dryer vermouth.
• Not herbal enough? Add a dash more green chartreuse (or a little more herbal cordial in mocktail).
• Color too dull? Use fresh or frozen pandan rather than paste; cold-steep longer for deeper green without bitterness.

Actionable takeaways (what to do right now)

1. Buy fresh or frozen pandan on your next grocery run (Asian market or specialty store).
2. Pick up a rice gin or non-alc botanical alternative — check your local craft spirit retailer or online marketplace.
3. Make it a small batch today and a pandan syrup to keep on hand.
4. Try both alcoholic and alcohol-free versions to compare and refine your preferred balance.

Final notes and serving ritual

Serve the pandan negroni slowly — the aromatic oils unfold as the ice melts. Encourage guests to inhale the expressed peel before the first sip. For the alcohol-free version, present the herbal cordial in a small carafe and explain the depth of flavor you’ve created: many people are surprised by how complete a well-made mocktail can be.

Ready to make your pandan negroni?

Try the recipe tonight — make the pandan infusion and pandan syrup ahead, then assemble to impress friends or enjoy a quiet, fragrant night in. Share your photos and any tweaks you made; we love seeing how home bartenders personalize this modern classic.

Call to action: If you loved this recipe, sign up at healthymeal.online for printable cocktail sheets, a 7-day mocktail meal plan, and weekly seasonal ingredient sourcing guides to keep your home bar fresh in 2026.

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