Pornstar Martini
One of 75 entries · Provenance 500 Drinks — Cocktails
Douglas Ankrah, LAB Bar, London, 2002. Ankrah (who later founded the Townhouse bar group) created the drink with the provocative name to generate conversation and attention. The drink's success at LAB was immediate and spread through London's bar scene. Ankrah has been clear that the name was about the quality of the experience, not its content.
The Pornstar Martini is the UK's most ordered cocktail — vanilla vodka, Passoa (passion fruit liqueur), fresh passion fruit, vanilla syrup, and lime juice, served with a shot of Prosecco on the side for either mixing in or drinking separately. Created by Douglas Ankrah at LAB Bar in London in 2002, its name was intended to evoke the idea of something so good it was worthy of a star's attention — and it has delivered: the drink has consistently topped UK and global cocktail sales charts for over a decade. It is a serious cocktail beneath its provocative name: the passion fruit's tartness, the vanilla's warmth, and the Prosecco's effervescence create a three-stage drinking experience that is technically considered.
- The Pornstar Martini's passion fruit-vanilla combination connects to the broader tropical fruit cocktail tradition of South American and Caribbean bars, the French tradition of passion fruit crème brûlée (vanilla and passion fruit as a natural flavour pair), and the Southeast Asian tradition of passion fruit as a celebratory fruit served at special occasions.
FOOD PAIRING: The Pornstar Martini's tropical-vanilla-citrus sweetness pairs with light desserts, tropical fruit, and fresh seafood. Provenance 1000 pairings: passion fruit pavlova (direct mirror), mango and lime cheesecake, vanilla panna cotta with passion fruit coulis, coconut sorbet with tropical fruit, and grilled lobster with vanilla butter.
Vanilla vodka is the base: Absolut Vanilla or Stolichnaya Vanil. The vanilla adds warmth and sweetness that connects the spirit to the vanilla syrup and passion fruit's tropical character. Passoa (passion fruit liqueur, 17% ABV) provides the passion fruit sweetness and colour base. It is the correct liqueur for this drink — alternatives produce different results. Fresh passion fruit: half a passion fruit scooped and added to the shaker (seeds, pulp, and juice) provides the aromatic intensity and slight tartness that Passoa alone cannot deliver. Vanilla syrup (not simple syrup): the additional vanilla reinforces the vodka's warmth. 1/4 oz is the standard amount — more and the drink becomes cloying. Lime juice (1/2 oz) provides the acid that prevents the passion fruit and vanilla from becoming one-dimensionally sweet. Standard ratio: 1.5 oz vanilla vodka, 1/2 oz Passoa, 1/2 passion fruit (flesh), 1/4 oz vanilla syrup, 1/2 oz lime juice. Shake very hard with ice and double-strain into a chilled Martini glass or coupe. Float the unused passion fruit half on top of the foam. Serve with a shot glass of chilled Prosecco alongside.
Using plain vodka instead of vanilla vodka: the vanilla is structural in the Pornstar Martini, not decorative. Skipping the fresh passion fruit: Passoa alone produces a flat, one-dimensional result. The fresh fruit's seeds, pulp, and aromatic compounds are essential. Serving without the Prosecco shot: the Prosecco is not optional — it is the drink's signature second component. Some drinkers pour it in; others alternate sips. The choice is the experience. Over-sweetening: the passion fruit and Passoa provide significant sweetness. Reduce vanilla syrup if using a particularly sweet Passoa batch.
Kitchen membership opens the full Library.
visual: Passion fruit's tartness cuts through vanilla warmth — you taste the fresh fruit's seeds and pulp, not just syrup.
Fresh passion fruit (seeds, pulp, juice) is essential. Passoa alone produces a flat, one-dimensional result.
- 50ml (1⅔oz) vanilla vodka — Absolut Vanilla or Ketel One with house vanilla infusion
- 15ml (½oz) Passoa (passion fruit liqueur)
- 15ml (½oz) vanilla syrup (1:1)
6 ingredients · 9 steps
Common Questions
Why does Pornstar Martini taste the way it does?
FOOD PAIRING: The Pornstar Martini's tropical-vanilla-citrus sweetness pairs with light desserts, tropical fruit, and fresh seafood. Provenance 1000 pairings: passion fruit pavlova (direct mirror), mango and lime cheesecake, vanilla panna cotta with passion fruit coulis, coconut sorbet with tropical fruit, and grilled lobster with vanilla butter.
What are common mistakes when making Pornstar Martini?
Using plain vodka instead of vanilla vodka: the vanilla is structural in the Pornstar Martini, not decorative. Skipping the fresh passion fruit: Passoa alone produces a flat, one-dimensional result. The fresh fruit's seeds, pulp, and aromatic compounds are essential. Serving without the Prosecco shot: the Prosecco is not optional — it is the drink's signature second component. Some drinkers pour it in; others alternate sips. The choice is the experience. Over-sweetening: the passion fruit and Passoa provide significant sweetness. Reduce vanilla syrup if using a particularly sweet Passoa batch.
What dishes are similar to Pornstar Martini?
The Pornstar Martini's passion fruit-vanilla combination connects to the broader tropical fruit cocktail tradition of South American and Caribbean bars, the French tradition of passion fruit crème brûlée (vanilla and passion fruit as a natural flavour pair), and the Southeast Asian tradition of passion fruit as a celebratory fruit served at special occasions.