Category: Cocktail Recipes

In the late 1980s, either Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss walked up to the bar at the Soho Brasserie, a venue run by Dick Bradsell, and asked for a drink that would wake them up, then fuck them up…

Like everything in Cocktail history, you should take this story with a pinch of salt – which is how you could also take your espresso Martinis!

The Espresso Martini is a cocktail in the new school of Martini’s, originating in the 80’s and 90s, these were more fruit or flavour forward, with balanced acidity and alcohol content.

As a result of globalisation, and the resulting wider freedom around ingredients, bars and bartenders began to experiment with ingredients.

The only thing they had in common was that they were in a Martini glass, and often had ‘tini in the name.

What Does a Good Espresso Martini Taste Like?

Bitter balanced coffee, with a boozy backbone and an expertly aerated foam from using good quality espresso coffee in the shaker.

The espresso doesn’t need to be fresh, but this cocktail needs good quality ice when shaken, and balanced dilution in the (hard) shake to be truly great.

The Classic Espresso Martini Recipe

Two trusted sources give two builds:

• IBA official: 50ml vodka, 30ml Kahlúa, 10ml sugar syrup and 1 strong espresso. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
• Difford’s Guide (equal parts): 1 fl oz of vodka, coffee liqueur and freshly made espresso, with no sugar syrup.

Espresso Martini ingredients

• 50ml vodka
• 30ml coffee liqueur
• 30ml freshly made espresso (about one strong shot)
• 10ml sugar syrup, to taste
• 3 coffee beans, to garnish
• Plenty of ice

How to make an Espresso Martini

1. Pre-chill a stemmed cocktail glass.
2. Pull a fresh espresso.
3. Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
4. Shake EXTREMELY hard for around 20 seconds, until the shaker is very cold.
5. Fine strain into the chilled glass.
6. Float three coffee beans on the foam.

What do the 3 espresso beans stand for?

Health, wealth and happiness. Ironically, after several of these you’ll be much happier, much less wealthy, and in the morning? Depends on whether you hydrate properly before bed eh.

What Does a Good Espresso Martini Look Like?

Expect it to look like a pint of Guinness as you pour it into the glass. With a velvety caramel brown head settling on top of the drink, and a dark americano body underneath the foam.

A Short History of the Espresso Martini

The Espresso Martini was invented in London. Difford’s Guide tells the story: around 1983, bartender Dick Bradsell was working at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street when a customer, said to be a model, asked for something that would wake her up. He used what was at hand, a coffee machine, vodka and coffee liqueur, and called it the Vodka Espresso. It was served on the rocks.

The drink picked up a new name in the 1990s. In 1997, at Match bar on Clerkenwell Road, it was served straight up in a Martini glass, and the Espresso Martini was born. In 1998, for Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy in Notting Hill, Bradsell renamed it the Pharmaceutical Stimulant to fit the menu’s theme. (Punch)

Bradsell, who also created the Bramble, died in 2016, and is revered as a key figure in London’s modern cocktail revival, with a legacy deeply respected by modern bartenders and bars.

Espresso Martini Variations

• Vodka Espresso: the original, served on the rocks.
• Pharmaceutical Stimulant: Bradsell’s 1998 rename, also on the rocks.
• Equal-parts Espresso Martini: Difford’s simple 1:1:1 version, with no sugar syrup.
• Coffee Old Fashioned, Black Russian and White Russian: other drinks our coffee liqueur suits.
• Mouse Kingdom Espresso Martini: our twist, below.

The Mouse Kingdom Espresso Martini

The coffee liqueur does a lot of the work in this drink, so what’s in the bottle matters.

Our Manchester Coffee Liqueur is made from UK winter wheat vodka and ethically sourced coffee from Manchester roasters Heart and Graft, their 60/40 blend – 60% Brazil Mogiana (natural/pulped natural) and 40% India Ratnagiri Washed (or India Melkodige Estate washed).

We infuse a rough grind in our Manchester distillery for at least 48 hours, then let it rest before bottling. It tastes of rich milk chocolate, honeycomb, toasted marzipan and toffee.

A few more reasons it works here:

• Lower sugar. We balance around 180 g/L, against minimum 230 g/L for Kahlúa and Mr Black, and the high 200s for Tia Maria.
• Real coffee, real flavour. It’s unfiltered, so you should find a little sediment. That’s because its made from coffee.
• No artificial flavourings, with all ingredients listed on the label, unlike any other liqueur brand.
• Vegan-friendly and gluten-free, with no allergens present. It does contain caffeine, again, because it’s made from coffee.

Mouse Kingdom Chocolate Orange Espresso Martini recipe

Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled Martini or coupe glass

Ingredients

• 30ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec Citrus Liqueur
• 30ml Mouse Kingdom Manchester Coffee Liqueur
• 30ml freshly made espresso
• No sugar syrup, we’re sweet enough.
• 3 coffee beans, to garnish

Method

1. Pre-chill your glass and pull a fresh espresso.
2. Give the bottle a gentle swirl, since the liqueur is unfiltered.
3. Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
4. Shake hard for at least 20 seconds.
5. Fine strain into a chilled glass.
6. Garnish with a zest of orange.

Tips

• You can pre brew coffee, and if you don’t have an espresso machine, making cafetiere coffee is fine – but you should at least double the amount of ground coffee you use compared to normal.
• If the coffee is hot, it will be difficult to seal the tin and might make a mess when you shake. If you pre pour and let it chill to room temp, your white shirt will remain white.
• Fine strain. It holds back any sediment and keeps the foam smooth.
• Taste your espresso. A bitter shot may want a little more sweetness, and a mellow one a little less.

More Ways to Use Manchester Coffee Liqueur

In a White Russian, Black Russian, Moscow Mule, Coffee Old Fashioned, Coffee Godfather, Coffee Collins and a Calypso Coffee. You can also mix it 1:1 with rum in a Cuba Libre, or pair it with dark spirits over ice.

Espresso Martini FAQs

What is in an Espresso Martini? Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso and usually a little sugar syrup, garnished with three coffee beans.

Who invented the Espresso Martini? London bartender Dick Bradsell, around 1983 at the Soho Brasserie, according to Difford’s Guide.

Why garnish an Espresso Martini with three coffee beans? Because they represent health, wealth and happiness.

Do I need an espresso machine? Fresh espresso is best, but a strong moka pot, cafetiere or Aeropress coffee works well too.

Why is there no martini in an Espresso Martini?Its allll about the glass and the ‘tini trend originating in the 80s and 90s.

Can I use cold brew instead of espresso? Yes, it works absolutely fine.

Is our Coffee Liqueur sweet? Much less than most with about 1/3 less sugar – but it’ll still taste rich and sweet, like you if you buy a bottle 🧡.

Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom

An Espresso Martini begins with the coffee liqueur you pour. Mouse Kingdom Manchester Coffee Liqueur is handmade in Manchester with Heart and Graft coffee, with less sugar and more balanced boozy character. For more recipes, visit our recipes and news page.

Contains caffeine, and alcohol! Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.

Sources and Further Reading

• IBA: Espresso Martini official recipe
• Difford’s Guide: Espresso Martini
• Difford’s Guide: Espresso Martini (equal parts)
• Punch: How the Espresso Martini Became a Modern Classic
• Punch: The Great Espresso Martini Revival

The Old Fashioned is a pre-eminent mix of Whiskey, sugar, bitters and dilution. Boozy and serious, authentic and well balanced when poured correctly.

We’re going to talk you through the classic Old Fashioned recipe and the history behind the cocktail. Then we’re going to treat you to our twist: an English whisky Old Fashioned made with Mouse Kingdom Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur.

Old Fashioned Recipe Basics

The Classic Old Fashioned Recipe

Two trusted sources give slightly different builds, and both are correct:

• Difford’s Guide: 60ml bourbon, a small measure of 2:1 sugar syrup and 3 dashes of Angostura, with an orange zest twist.
• IBA official: 45ml bourbon or rye, 1 sugar cube, a few dashes of Angostura and a few dashes of water. Muddle the sugar and bitters, add ice and whiskey, and garnish with orange and a cocktail cherry.

How to make an Old Fashioned

1. Pre-chill an old-fashioned glass.
2. Add the whiskey, syrup and bitters to the glass (or a mixing glass) with ice.
3. Stir, and keep stirring, until well chilled and slightly diluted. If using powdered sugar, stir to dissolve also.
4. Express an orange twist over the cocktail.

Old Fashioned tips

• Go easy on the fruit. Muddled orange, lemon and cherries were common in the 80s and 90s, but they are not the classic.
• Moderate the sugar. The drink is meant to be complex and spirit-forward.
• Use ice you would drink. Larger, clear ice melts more slowly, so the drink stays cold without watering down.

What Does an Old Fashioned Taste Like?

An Old Fashioned is boozy, complex but well balanced. Measured sugar syrup is a great tool to use, but when stirring to add dilution, this drink should regularly be tasted through the process.

There is a bell curve of dilution, which peaks in the middle, and your goal here is to hit the top, and not add too much dilution and let it go down the other side.

A Short History of the Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned began as the Whisky Cocktail. Difford’s Guide points to Jerry Thomas’s 1862 Bar-Tender’s Guide. Over the decades, like any other cocktail, its been riffed upon and adapted. The glass it’s served in eventually took the drink’s name, just like the Martini.

Old Fashioned Variations

• Rye Old Fashioned: swap bourbon for rye.
• Rum Old Fashioned: a similar recipe with aged rum, a Lime twist works ace here.
• English Pear & Peppercorn Old Fashioned: our twist, below.

The English Whisky and Pear & Peppercorn Old Fashioned

In a classic Old Fashioned, sugar and bitters add sweetness and spice. Our Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur replaces both.

Ripe English pear juice infused with black peppercorns, rich and ripe, with honeyed, subtle spice. Pear juice, black peppercorns, UK wheat vodka, sugar and dilution. Pear brings soft orchard fruit, the pepper adds a gentle warmth and aromatics.

A few more reasons it works here:

• 18% ABV, 70cl. It adds sweetness without the sugar-syrup step.
• Honeyed spice. The pepper echoes the spice from the bitters.
• Handmade in the UK, with balanced sweetness and real fruit.

Pear & Peppercorn Old Fashioned recipe

Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled old-fashioned glass, with a large ice cube

Ingredients

• 50ml English whisky
• 20ml Mouse Kingdom Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
• Orange zest twist and a grind of Black Pepper, to garnish

Method

1. Pre-chill your glass and add a large ice cube.
2. Add the whisky, Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice.
3. Stir for about 20 to 30 seconds, until well chilled. You won’t need as much dilution as a classic – as our liqueur drops the abv.
4. Strain over ice.
5. Garnish with Pepper and a zest.

Tips

• Choose a whisky you’d sip. With so few ingredients, the base spirit does most of the talking. We recommend Cotswolds Distillery
• Adjust the sweetness. Move the liqueur between 15 and 25ml to suit your whisky.

More Ways to Use Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur

Brilliant with rum and all the things rum likes, plus dry sparkling wine for a spritz. Also a Pear Sidecar, Pear Rickey, Pear Martini, Spiced Pear, Pear Drop and a Kentucky Pear (which you can make with Scotch).

Old Fashioned FAQs

What is in an Old Fashioned? Whiskey, sugar, bitters and an orange garnish, served over ice in a short glass.

Bourbon or rye for an Old Fashioned? Any Whiskey you fancy works well, but we suggest better quality booze as it’ll define the drink.

What bitters go in an Old Fashioned? You can choose any, and play with the product for the end result you fancy.

Do you use a sugar cube or syrup? The IBA specifies a sugar cube, while Difford’s uses rich sugar syrup. Syrup dissolves faster and is easier to measure.

Can I make an Old Fashioned with English whisky? 100%. Our Pear & Peppercorn version is defined by it.

Can I make an Old Fashioned without sugar? You can get additional sweetness from a syrup or Liqueur, our Dark Berries works well too.

Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom

Mouse Kingdom Pear & Peppercorn Liqueur is handmade in Manchester from English pear and black peppercorns. Pick up a bottle and give your next Old Fashioned a twist. For more recipes, visit our recipes and news page.

Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.

Sources and Further Reading

• Difford’s Guide: Old Fashioned recipe
• Difford’s Guide: Making an Old Fashioned
• IBA: Old Fashioned official recipe

The Negroni is three ingredients. It’s bitter, boozy, complicated, and it’s been one of the world’s most-ordered cocktails for longer than a century.

We’re treating you mice to the classic Negroni recipe, the best way to make one at home, and the history of the cocktail. We’re also introducing you to our own twist: a Strawberry Negroni, made with Mouse Kingdom Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur.

Negroni Recipe at a Glance

The Classic Negroni Recipe

Two trusted sources agree on the classic spec:

• Difford’s Guide: 1 fl oz each of London dry gin, Italian red bitter liqueur and rosso vermouth.
• IBA official: 30ml gin, 30ml Campari, 30ml sweet red vermouth.

Negroni ingredients

• 30ml London dry gin
• 30ml Campari
• 30ml sweet red vermouth
• Orange slice or twist, to garnish
• Plenty of ice

How to make a Negroni

1. Pre-chill an old-fashioned glass, then fill it with ice.
2. Pour the gin, Campari and vermouth straight into the glass.
3. Stir gently until well chilled.
4. Garnish with an orange slice, or express an orange twist over the top.

Negroni tips

• Stir, don’t shake. Difford’s is firm on this. A Negroni should be stirred, and mixing it right in the serving glass keeps things simple.
• Garnish with orange, not lemon. Difford’s is equally firm on this one.
• Taste and tweak. Equal parts is the standard, and Difford’s notes that it is the proportion most recipes use, but it’s a matter of taste. Add a little more vermouth for a softer drink or a little more Campari for a super bitter twist.
• Choose a dry gin. A London dry gin keeps the drink crisp.

What Does a Negroni Taste Like?

The Negroni is an acquired taste that you need to earn. An initial taste is extremely unlikely to be something you enjoy, but like most great things in life, the difficult things are often the best.

Negroni Ratio: Why Equal Parts?

The classic Negroni is one part gin, one part Campari and one part sweet vermouth. The balance is the point: bitter, sweet and strong, each keeping the others in check. It’s also easy to remember, which is part of why the drink spread so widely.

A Short History of the Negroni

The best-known story starts in Florence in 1919. Difford’s Guide tells it like this: Count Camillo Negroni, a regular at the Casoni bar on Via Tornabuoni, asked for a bit more kick in his Americano. Other customers began asking for “the Count’s drink”, and the name stuck.

In the usual telling, the bartender Fosco Scarselli swapped the soda for gin and garnished with orange instead of the Americano’s lemon, so the new drink looked different from the old one. The Americano itself is Campari and sweet vermouth with soda, and it descends from the Milano-Torino.

As ever with cocktail history, there’s massive debate and not authoritative history. David Wondrich has found that the Count’s title is questionable, although his grandfather did hold one. The bartender Luca Picchi, whose research backs the Florence story, points to a letter dated October 1920 that jokes about the Count’s Negroni habit, which suggests the drink was already around. (Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia)

Orson Welles gave it a famous review in 1947, noting that the bitters are good for you, the gin isn’t, and they cancel each other out.

Negroni Variations

Once you’ve got the classic down, there are plenty of riffs:

• Americano: the Negroni’s ancestor, made with Campari, sweet vermouth and soda. This is a delicous sessionable twist.
• Negroni Sbagliato: sparkling wine in place of gin, said to have been created by mistake at Bar Basso in Milan in the 1970s. Again, much more fresh and quaffable.
• Strawberry Negroni: our twist, below.

The Strawberry Negroni

Now for the twist. In a Negroni, sweet vermouth does a lot of the work. It’s an aromatised wine, so it brings sweetness, a touch of acidity and wine-like complex depth and flavour that softens the Campari.

Our Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur does something similar. It’s jammy and ripe, tastes like strawberry wine, and has 1% balsamic that adds a low, acidic note so it never tastes simply sweet. That dessert wine, almost vermouth-like character is why it sits so well between gin and Campari.

A few more reasons it works here:

• Lower sugar. Most big-brand liqueurs sit around 230 g/L of sugar. We aim much lower, so you decide how sweet your drink ends up. With a bitter negroni, this is key.
• Clean, smooth fruit. It’s made from strawberry juice, balsamic vinegar, UK wheat vodka and sugar. It’s vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
• 16% ABV, 70cl. That’s in the same ballpark as many sweet vermouths, so swapping it in doesn’t water the drink down.

Strawberry Negroni recipe

Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled old-fashioned glass, filled with ice

Ingredients

• 30ml dry gin
• 25ml Campari
• 25ml Mouse Kingdom Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur
• 10ml sweet red vermouth (but you can go ahead and add 35ml MK Strawberry Balsamic for a similar effect).
• Orange twist, to garnish.

Method

1. Pre-chill your glass and fill it with ice.
2. Pour the gin, Campari, strawberry liqueur and vermouth straight into the glass.
3. Stir gently for about 20 to 30 seconds, until well chilled.
4. Express an orange twist over the top and drop it in.

Tip: Want it more bitter? Add a splash more Campari. Want it softer and sweeter? Nudge the strawberry up by 10ml.

More Ways to Use Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur

Beyond the Negroni, it’s great in a spritz with soda or sparkling wine, and it can stand in for Aperol in an Aperol Spritz as an adult fruit liqueur with balanced sweetness. It also works in a Strawberry Margarita, a Strawberry Daiquiri, a Strawberry Caipirinha, a Strawberry Cosmo or a Strawberry Martini.

Negroni FAQs

What is in a Negroni? Gin, Campari (or another Italian red bitter) and sweet red vermouth, garnished with orange.

What is the Negroni ratio? Equal parts, 1:1:1. In practice that’s 30ml of each.

How do you make a Negroni? Pour the three ingredients into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice, stir gently, and garnish with orange.

Should a Negroni be shaken or stirred? Stirred, every time. Sorry Stanley Tucci, though you were excellent in the Devil Wears Prada.

What gin is best for a Negroni? A London dry gin is the usual choice.

What garnish goes on a Negroni? An orange twist.

Is a Negroni very bitter? For many people, yes. If that puts you off, try a Negroni Sbagliato or our Strawberry Negroni.

Can I make a Strawberry Negroni? Yes. Our version uses 25ml of Mouse Kingdom Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur in place of most of the vermouth.

Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom

A Negroni is only as good as its ingredients. Mouse Kingdom Strawberry Balsamic Liqueur is handmade in Manchester with real strawberry juice and a little balsamic, with less sugar and more character. Pick up a bottle and give your next Negroni a twist. For more, visit our recipes and news page.

Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.

Sources and Further Reading

• Difford’s Guide: Negroni cocktail recipe
• Difford’s Guide: The Negroni cocktail history
• IBA: Negroni official recipe
• Merriam-Webster: Negroni word history
• Wikipedia: Negroni

Crisp, pink, fresh and authentic.

Like us, at Mouse Kingdom Liqueurs

What should a Cosmopolitan Cocktail should look like?

A Cosmopolitan should look light, translucent, and “oh so pretty in pink”, a phrase famously used by one of the suggested creators Cheryl Cook, and reinforced by Absolut, to describe the soft blush color created by ensuring a balanced recipe and only using a splash of cranberry juice.

What should a Cosmopolitan taste like?

Zesty, fresh, deliciously boozy and well balanced. The pretty pink colour belies the adult content of the original recipes. Though it should be said, over time the cocktail evolved a great deal with many venues upping the cranberry and lowering the abv.

The traditional Cosmopolitan is essentially a bare bones vodka sour – with the only sugar in the recipe coming from the Liqueur. Which is why it’s essential to use a balanced citrus liqueur, like our handmade Quad sec.

How the Classic Recipes Compare

There isn’t one “official” Cosmopolitan, but a few specs are widely referenced:

The Difford’s and IBA versions are close, with Difford’s using more liqueur. Cecchini’s original is much more spirit-forward, with far less cranberry. Difford’s also lists variations if you’d like to explore: Dale DeGroff’s recipe, Toby Cecchini’s recipe and the 1934 recipe.

Our recipe below follows the Difford’s Guide proportions, with Quad Sec in place of Cointreau.

Mouse Kingdom Cosmo:

Makes 1 | Glass: Martini, but you do you.

Ingredients

• 37.5ml vodka (or citron vodka)
• 22.5ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec
• 22.5ml cranberry juice
• 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice
• Orange zest twist, to garnish

Method

1. Chill your glass.
2. Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
3. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, until you think you can’t shake any harder. Then shake more.
4. Fine strain into your chosen glass
5. Hold a twist of orange above your glass & twist.

Need a hint on how to twist? Follow this Orange zest guide.

Cosmopolitan FAQs

Who invented the Cosmopolitan? Nobody agrees, as usual with cocktail history. Cheryl Cook, Toby Cecchini and Melissa Huffsmith, and Dale DeGroff all feature in the story, and the name appeared in print much earlier, in the 1920s and 30s but with very different recipes, often using Gin.

What’s in a Cosmopolitan? Vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice and lime juice.

Is there an official Cosmopolitan recipe? The IBA publishes one (citron vodka, Cointreau, lime and cranberry), but many bartenders use their own proportions, including Difford’s Guide, which our recipe follows.

Can I use Quad Sec instead of Cointreau? Yes, in any recipe that calls for triple sec. It’s drier, so the drink comes out less sweet and more citrus-forward.

What’s the difference between triple sec and curaçao? They’re essentially the same family of orange-forward liqueurs. Every brand varies in ABV, sugar and ingredients, so each bottle tastes different.

How strong is Quad Sec? 40% ABV, in a 70cl bottle.

Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom

A great Cosmopolitan starts with a great orange liqueur. Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec is handmade in Manchester from rescued citrus, with less sugar and more estery bittersweet citrus character. Pick up a bottle, squeeze some fresh lime, and see how much difference it makes. For more recipes, head to our recipes and news page.

Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.

Mouse Kingdom Liqueurs

It’s the number 1 Cocktail in the UK, right now.

The Pornstar Martini is Passion Fruit, Vodka and Vanilla, served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side, and it has been for over twenty years.

In this cocktail recipe guide we cover where the Pornstar Martini came from, how its creator originally poured it, and three recipes you can make at home with Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur:

Douglas Ankrah’s original, a long and refreshing Pornstar Highball, and a modern Mouse Kingdom Pornstar Martini.

The History of the Pornstar Martini

Who invented the Pornstar Martini?

The Pornstar Martini was created by London bartender Douglas Ankrah, one of the key figures of the early-2000s cocktail revival in the UK. He released it on the opening menu of his bar Townhouse in Knightsbridge, and it went on to become a bestseller at both Townhouse and his Soho bar, LAB. Most sources date its creation to 2002, though some give 2003. For the full story and his own recipe notes, see the Difford’s Guide Pornstar Martini entry.

He passed in August 2021, having defined the direction of the drinks industry in the UK for generations. Every pornstar we pour is entirely because of him, and we are proud to produce a liqueur which we hope might, one day, be poured in a cocktail he created in your home, or bar.

Why is it called the Pornstar Martini?

So Ankrah first called it the Maverick Martini, after a gentlemen’s club in Cape Town, South Africa, that he visited while writing his 2004 cocktail book, Shaken & Stirred. Back in London he renamed it because it seemed like the kind of drink a porn star would order. You might see it listed as the Passion Fruit Martini on some menus, just in case a lost small child wanders by while you order it.

From London bars to the nation’s favourite

It was popular from day one, regularly sitting in the top three sellers at both of Ankrah’s bars. It has since spread to bars, restaurants and supermarket shelves across the UK and the world, and it was named the most-Googled cocktail of 2019. Ankrah himself later launched a pre-bottled version, and inspired countless ready-to-drink riffs.

What makes it special: the experience

Technically it isn’t a Martini in the traditional sense of the word. Martini’s have been around for over a century, evolving from the Martinez which began in the late 1800’s. They’re definitely not fruity, and they are extremely boozy.

But in the 90’s new wave of cocktail expression, a Martini began to be associated with more approachable flavours. Sex and the City made the Cosmopolitan iconic, and the Apple Martini, and French Martini began to earn their wings.

The modern Pornstar serve pairs the passion fruit and vanilla cocktail with a small glass of chilled sparkling wine, originally Champagne. Ankrah’s idea was to alternate between the two: sip the fizz to cleanse the palate, then return to the cocktail. People feel like they are getting two drinks in one.

But if you fancy pouring it in? Do it. When you add sparkling wine to a cocktail with certain ingredients, like pineapple juice, they froth up and provide an excellent mouthfeel, which is where the experience makes the serve.

Why Passion Fruit Liqueur Matters

The backbone of any good Pornstar Martini is its Liqueur, and the one you choose decides whether the drink tastes bright and tropical or flat and sugary.

Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur is an excellent pour:

• Made in Manchester. Mouse Kingdom is an independent liqueur maker founded in 2021.
• A British wheat base. The liqueur starts with vodka distilled from UK-grown winter wheat, which gives a clean, balanced freshness for the fruit to rest on.
• Real passion fruit juice. Actually made with passion fruit juice and UK grown sugar, balanced so the flavour is tangy and tropical rather than super sweet.
• Versatile and low abv at 16% ABV. Gentle enough to sip over ice or top with soda, with the sweet/sour intensity to carry a cocktail.

Recipe 1: Douglas Ankrah’s Original Pornstar Martini

The original is richer and more dessert-like than many modern versions, with vanilla sugar adding body and sweetness. Ankrah famously compared the creation of the drink to baking.

Notably, he did not use lime or lemon: the passion fruit juice he used provides all the acidity needed.

Which is excellent, because we built our liqueur to have huge hidden acidity, which you’ll find when you open it up with dilution in a cocktail or spritz. We built the liqueur from the cocktail and the fruit, rather than making you make the cocktail around us.

Note: Ankrah’s original spec used Passoã as the passion fruit liqueur as it was recently invented in 1985. Here we use Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur, which brings a fresher, more authentic and juicier fruit character.

Makes 1 | Glass: chilled coupe or martini glass, plus a shot glass for the fizz

Ingredients

• 50ml vanilla vodka
• 20ml Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 50ml passion fruit purée (or the pulp of 2 fresh passion fruits)
• 2 bar spoons vanilla sugar
• Chilled Champagne or Prosecco, for the shot on the side
• Half a passion fruit, to garnish

Method

1. Add everything except the sparkling wine to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds.
3. Fine strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
4. Float half a passion fruit on top.
5. Serve with a shot glass of chilled Champagne or Prosecco on the side.

To make vanilla sugar: blitz granulated sugar with split vanilla pods until combined, then sieve. Let it sit for a few days for the best flavour.

Recipe 2: The Pornstar Highball

All the flavours of the classic Pornstar, stretched.

This is sessionable and balanced. The vanilla syrup keeps the signature Pornstar flavour, while the soda and sparkling keeps it dry and refreshing.

Makes 1 | Glass: highball, filled with ice

Ingredients

• 25ml Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 25ml vodka (or any other spirit: gin, white rum and tequila blanco all work – scotch or aged spirits work especially well due to the vanilla hidden within)
• 12.5ml Bristol Syrup vanilla syrup
• Soda water and sparkling wine, topped half and half (roughly 50ml of each)
• Half a passion fruit or a citrus zest, to garnish

Method

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add the Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur, vodka and vanilla syrup, and stir briefly to combine.
3. Top with equal parts soda water and sparkling wine. Use Prosecco for a softer, fruitier finish, or Champagne if you want to stay true to the original dry, complex serve.
4. Garnish and serve.

Tip: Swap the vodka for gin for a more botanical drink, or use a white rum for a tropical twist.

Recipe 3: The Modern Pornstar Martini

This is the version you will find in most UK bars today. Shaking with pineapple juice gives the drink its signature silky foam, and the fruit-forward profile is lighter and delicious. Using our Passion Fruit Liqueur means you get a big passion fruit hit without needing purée.

Makes 1 | Glass: chilled coupe or martini glass, plus a shot glass for the fizz

Ingredients

• 25ml Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 25ml Evrythng Vodka (or any high-quality vodka)
• 75ml pineapple juice
• 10ml of citrus juice (lemon or lime is fine)
• Sugar syrup to taste
• Chilled Prosecco or Champagne, for the shot on the side
• Half a passion fruit, to garnish

Method

1. Add ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds to build the foam.
3. Fine strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
4. Float half a passion fruit on top.
5. Serve with a shot of fizz on the side. Sip, repeat.

Tips for the Perfect Pornstar Martini

• Chill your glassware. A frozen coupe keeps the drink crisp to the last sip.
• Shake hard. The longer and harder you shake, the better the foam.
• Fine strain. Double straining keeps seeds and ice shards out for a smooth finish.
• Pick the right fizz. Prosecco is soft, fruity and widely used in the UK; Champagne, as in Ankrah’s original, is drier and more elegant. Cremant or Cava is an excellebt budget friendly sub, because it carries the dryness of Champagne, without the £££.
• Eat the garnish. The floating passion fruit half is DELICIOUS and wonderfully textured.

Pornstar Martini FAQs

What is in a Pornstar Martini? Vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur and passion fruit (or a modern version using pineapple juice), shaken and served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side.

Do you drink the shot or pour it into the cocktail? Neither is wrong, but the intended way is to sip the shot between sips of the cocktail as a palate cleanser. Some people pour a splash in, and that’s fine!

Can I use Prosecco instead of Champagne? Yes. The original used Champagne, but Prosecco is the standard choice in most UK bars and works beautifully. Also see Cremant or Cava.

Can I make a Pornstar Martini without vanilla vodka? Yes. Use a good plain vodka and add vanilla syrup or vanilla sugar, as in the recipes above.

What is the best passion fruit liqueur for a Pornstar Martini? Look for one made with real passion fruit juice and a quality spirit base. Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur uses British winter wheat vodka and passion fruit juice, and is built specifically for this cocktail.

When is Pornstar Martini Day? It is marked each year on 6 September.

Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom

From the original London bar classic to an easy-drinking highball, Mouse Kingdom Passion Fruit Liqueur makes a Pornstar Martini that tastes of real fruit. Pick up a bottle, grab some passion fruit and a bottle of fizz, and make the UK’s favourite cocktail at home.

Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.

Shop Mouse Kingdom Liqueurs Pornstar Martini