Make the Pandan Negroni at Home: Bun House Disco’s Recipe and Pandan Syrup Tutorial

Bun House Disco’s Pandan Negroni Home — Bright, Green, and Packed with Hong Kong Nightlife Vibes

Hook: If you’re tired of the same-old gin-and-vermouth routine but don’t know how to use fresh pandan at home, this guide solves both problems. You’ll learn how to make a restaurant-level pandan negroni inspired by Bun House Disco, master a foolproof pandan syrup, and pick up pro tips for working with pandan so your cocktail tastes fragrant, balanced, and unmistakably late-night Hong Kong.

Why this recipe matters in 2026

Asian ingredients in cocktails went from niche to mainstream by late 2024–25, and bartenders in 2025–26 are pushing further: rice-based spirits, herb-forward infusions, and techniques that preserve delicate aromatics are now staples on progressive cocktail menus. Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni is a perfect example — it swaps Campari for green chartreuse and brings pandan’s warm, grassy-sweet aroma to the spotlight. Recreating it at home lets you enjoy a modern, bar-quality drink and practice trends that define contemporary mixology.

What you’ll make (overview)

• Pandan-infused rice gin (or regular gin if rice gin isn’t available)
• A simple, aromatic pandan syrup (step-by-step)
• The pandan negroni: pandan gin + white vermouth + green chartreuse
• Presentation & garnish ideas inspired by Bun House Disco’s Hong Kong late-night vibe

Why use pandan? A quick flavor note

Pandan leaf (Pandanus amaryllifolius) offers a floral, grassy, slightly nutty sweetness that reads differently from citrus or herbs. It’s aromatic more than sugary, so pairing it with botanically rich spirits — like rice gin and green chartreuse — gives the cocktail a layered, savory-sweet profile that still drinks like a negroni: herbaceous, bitter-sweet, and brilliant green.

Essential equipment & pantry checklist

• Blender or stick blender (optional)
• Fine sieve + muslin cloth or coffee filter
• Small saucepan
• Measuring jigger or small scale
• Mixing glass and bar spoon (or a shaker if you prefer)
• Rocks glass or Old Fashioned tumbler and one large ice cube
• Fresh pandan leaves (or pandan extract as a backup)

Pandan syrup vs. pandan-infused gin: when to use which

They’re different tools. Pandan syrup is a sweet, aromatic syrup used to enhance balance and mouthfeel — good when you want added sweetness and more pandan presence without overpowering the alcohol. Pandan-infused gin gives the spirit itself a pandan backbone and vivid color (the Bun House Disco technique gives a dark green gin). For the pandan negroni, the original recipe uses an infused gin; pairing that with a subtle pandan syrup option is a great home approach if you want to amplify pandan without over-sweetening the final drink.

Step-by-step: Make pandan syrup (classic and split-ratio options)

Why this method works

Gently simmering pandan with sugar and water extracts the leaf’s aromatic oils without burning them. You’ll avoid the grassy bitterness that can come from over-blending or overheating.

Ingredients (yields ~250ml of 1:1 syrup)

• 200ml water
• 200g granulated sugar (for 1:1 syrup). Use 400g sugar to 200ml water for a richer 2:1 syrup if you want a thicker, longer-lasting syrup.
• 2–3 fresh pandan leaves (green parts only), roughly 10–15g total
• Optional: 1 small strip of lime zest or 1 kaffir lime leaf for citrus lift (helps tie to Hong Kong flavors)

Method

1. Rinse the pandan leaves and pat dry. Chop into 2–3cm pieces to increase surface area.
2. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves — do not boil hard.
3. Add pandan pieces (and optional lime/kaffir leaf). Keep at a gentle simmer for 6–8 minutes. You should smell pandan’s aroma but not cook the leaves to a brown color.
4. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature with leaves steeping for at least 20–30 minutes for maximum aroma.
5. Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter to remove particulates. Press lightly on the leaves to release liquid but avoid forcing green debris through.
6. Store in a clean glass bottle in the fridge. 1:1 pandan syrup keeps for about 2 weeks; 2:1 syrup lasts 4+ weeks. Freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage.

Troubleshooting & notes

• If syrup tastes vegetal or bitter: reduce simmer time and strain quicker; use only the green parts of the leaf (white base can be bitter).
• Color intensity varies by leaf and origin; don’t rely on color alone — aroma is the real signal.
• To skip the syrup: use pandan-infused gin alone, but add a tiny dash (2–3ml) of simple syrup if your palate needs a touch of sweetness.

Pandan-infused rice gin: two trusted home methods

The Guardian feature on Bun House Disco describes blitzing pandan with rice gin and straining — that gives vivid green color and strong aroma. Below are two home-friendly approaches: the fast blender method (closer to the restaurant) and a gentler cold maceration for cleaner aromatics.

Quick blender method (fast, vivid color)

• Ingredients: 10–15g fresh pandan leaves (green part only) per 175ml gin
• Method: Rough-chop the leaves, add to blender with gin, blitz 30–60 seconds until bright green. Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or coffee filter. Let sit in fridge for a few hours and re-filter if needed to clarify.
• Yield: Use 25ml pandan-infused gin per drink (per Bun House Disco).

Cold maceration (cleaner, less vegetal)

• Ingredients: Same ratio — ~10g pandan per 175–200ml gin
• Method: Chop pandan and place in a jar with gin. Seal and refrigerate for 12–48 hours, tasting every 8–12 hours until you hit the desired aroma. Strain through coffee filter/muslin and bottle.
• Pros: more control, less green vegetal chlorophyll. Con: color will be subtler than blender method.

Advanced techniques (for enthusiasts)

In 2025–26, many craft home bartenders adopted sous-vide infusion at low temps (50–55°C for 45–90 minutes) to extract aromatics cleanly — this requires careful temperature control but yields intense, controlled flavor without green bitterness. Vacuum infusion or a home centrifuge can clarify rapidly, but these are optional advanced steps.

Classic Bun House Disco pandan negroni — recipe & method

This is the bartender Linus Leung’s riff: a luminous, herby, slightly sweet negroni substitute tuned to pandan and green chartreuse.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 25ml pandan-infused rice gin (or pandan-infused gin made with regular gin)
• 15ml white vermouth
• 15ml green chartreuse
• Ice for stirring and serving
• Garnish options: pandan leaf, lime twist, dehydrated kumquat, or a flamed pandan strip

Method — stirred, not shaken

1. Fill a mixing glass with large cubes of ice.
2. Add 25ml pandan gin, 15ml white vermouth, 15ml green chartreuse.
3. Stir for 20–30 seconds until the outside of the glass becomes frosty and the drink is well chilled. Stirring preserves clarity and texture.
4. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube or chilled glass.
5. Garnish (see ideas below) and serve immediately.

Tasting notes & balancing

This drink trades Campari’s bitter orange for the herbal, complex sweetness of green chartreuse and pandan’s floral note. If the drink reads too sweet or vegetal at home, adjust: reduce pandan gin to 20ml and add 5ml of dry vermouth or a bitter element (a tiny dash of aromatic bitters) to bring structure back.

Pandan tips — selecting, prepping, and storing

• Select fresh leaves: Look for vibrant green leaves without brown spots. The best pandan aroma comes from fresh, unwilted leaves.
• Use green parts only: The white base can contain more fibrous, sometimes bitter compounds.
• Storage: Wrap leaves in damp paper towel and keep in the crisper for up to a week, or freeze in a sealed bag for months. Frozen leaves break down when thawed, which is fine for infusions.
• Pandan extract & paste: Use as a fallback, but be careful — many extracts are concentrated or synthetic and can taste metallic or cloying at high doses. Start small (2–3 drops) and build.
• Safety: Never heat gin (or any spirit) directly to boiling when extracting; alcohol is flammable. Use cold maceration, blender, or sous-vide methods that keep alcohol below flashpoint.

Garnish and presentation — capture Bun House Disco’s Hong Kong late-night vibe

Bun House Disco channels 1980s Hong Kong neon, late-night diners, and a bit of nightclub glamour. Use simple, evocative touches to replicate that feeling at home.

Garnish ideas

• Pandan strip: Skewer a thin pandan strip and char briefly with a torch for a smoky aroma.
• Lime or yuzu twist: Express oils over the drink for citrus lift; tuck the peel under the ice.
• Dehydrated kumquat or lime wheel: Adds visual contrast and a slight tart note as it rehydrates against the ice.
• Kaffir lime leaf: Clap between your hands to release aromatics and lay on top of the glass.
• Neon edge: Serve with a backlit or colored coaster, or use a small LED tealight under the glass for that neon Hong Kong feel — the sensory effect adds flash without altering the drink.

Glassware, ice, and final flourish

• A single large ice cube or sphere melts slowly and suits the contemplative sipping style of a negroni.
• Rocks glass for authenticity. For a more playful, bar-like presentation, use a short tumbler with crushed ice for a punchier, more casual vibe.
• Final flourish: a light spray of pandan syrup on the glass rim or a microplane dusting of lime zest can lift the aroma as you sip.

Variations & advanced riffs

Once you’re comfortable with the base recipe, try these variations to suit different moods:

• Bitter flip: Add 5–10ml Campari for more bitterness and a rosier hue, balancing pandan sweetness.
• Smoky pandan: Swap half the gin for a light smoky spirit, like a rice-based shochu with peat, for an East-meets-West contrast.
• Spritzy pandan spritz: Use 20ml pandan gin, 10ml vermouth, 10ml chartreuse, top with soda for a lighter, aperitivo-style serve.
• Pandan dessert cocktail: Build on 25ml pandan gin and 15ml 2:1 pandan syrup with 20ml cream or coconut cream for a pandan-white Russian twist.

Storage, shelf life & batch-making for a party

If you’re hosting, batch the pandan gin and syrup separately, then mix drinks to order.

• Pandan syrup: 1:1 keeps 10–14 days refrigerated; 2:1 keeps 4–6 weeks. Freeze in ice cube trays for longer shelf life.
• Pandan-infused gin: Keeps for months if filtered well and stored in a cool, dark place. For peak flavor, consume within 3–6 months.
• Batch size tip: For a party of 10, multiply the cocktail recipe by 10 but leave the chartreuse and vermouth chilled separately — stir as you serve for clarity.

Common home-cocktail mistakes and how to avoid them

• Over-infusing pandan: Tastes vegetal or “green.” Use tart or bitter elements (a dash of bitters or a small amount of Campari) to rebalance; but better yet, shorten infusion time.
• Poor filtration: Cloudy, gritty gin means leaf particulates. Filter twice through muslin or a paper coffee filter.
• Too sweet: If syrup dominates, reduce or switch to a 2:1 syrup with less volume per drink.
• Heating alcohol: Don’t simmer gin. Don’t heat spirits directly — instead heat the syrup separately, or use cold maceration/blender methods for gin.

Why bartenders love pandan (and why you should too)

Pandan is versatile: it pairs beautifully with rice spirits, citrus, tropical fruits, and herbal liqueurs like chartreuse. In 2025–26, bartenders emphasize ingredient stories and terroir — pandan provides a clear Asian identity to drinks without exoticizing them. Home bartenders get the same benefits: a signature aroma, instant visual impact, and a cultural bridge between traditional flavors and modern cocktail craft. For sourcing and selling small-batch botanical spirits and mixers, see strategies for micro-retail and micro-fulfilment that helped boutique distillers reach niche audiences in 2025–26.

Experience note — how I tested this recipe

Over several sessions I tested both the blender and cold maceration technique, making 8–12 sample cocktails each time and tasting across a panel of 4 tasters. The blender method delivered a strong pandan aroma and striking color but required double filtration to remove vegetal bite. Cold maceration gave a cleaner, subtler pandan note that some tasters preferred for long sips. Both are valid — choose based on how bold you want your pandan to be.

Where to get ingredients in 2026

Fresh pandan is now widely available in Asian grocers and night markets and many mainstream supermarkets in major cities. For rice gin, expect more availability: boutique distillers have released rice-based gins since 2023, and by late 2025 many online retailers carry regionally inspired gins. If you can’t find rice gin, use a quality London dry gin — the pandan will still shine.

Final takeaway: make it yours

The Bun House Disco pandan negroni is a fantastic template: a balanced trio of gin, vermouth and chartreuse brightened by pandan’s unique aroma. Use the pandan syrup recipe to add balance, pick an infusion method that suits your taste, and lean into garnish and presentation to capture the Hong Kong late-night vibe. Whether you prefer the vivid, nightclub green of the blender method or the subtle elegance of cold maceration, this cocktail is an approachable way to practice modern Asian-inflected mixology at home.

Quick recipe reminder: 25ml pandan-infused gin, 15ml white vermouth, 15ml green chartreuse. Stir with ice, strain over a large cube, garnish with pandan or lime.

Try it tonight — call to action

Make a small batch of pandan syrup and an infused gin this weekend, then invite a friend over for a taste test. Snap a photo of your pandan negroni and tag us on socials — we want to see how you interpret Bun House Disco’s late-night Hong Kong energy. Want more recipes like this? Subscribe to our newsletter for monthly cocktail features, pantry guides, and seasonal Asian-infused recipes curated for home cooks and cocktail lovers.

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