Pandan is the most distinctive Malaysian cocktail ingredient. The leaves are emerald-green, bladed, and grow in clumps almost everywhere with sun. Crushed or simmered, they release a vegetal-sweet aroma somewhere between fresh-cut grass, vanilla, jasmine rice, and almond. In cocktails, pandan typically appears as a syrup (the easiest format) or as a hot infusion into spirits or batched stocks.

What it is

Pandanus amaryllifolius, sometimes called screwpine. Native to Southeast Asia. The leaves are the ingredient (not the flower or fruit). Cultivated across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.

Pandan's flavour comes from a compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (the same molecule that gives jasmine rice and freshly baked bread their aroma), plus a handful of supporting esters and aldehydes. The grassy-vanilla profile is genuine to pandan; it is not a mimic of vanilla, despite the common comparison.

Flavour profile

Vegetal, grassy, sweet without being sugary, with a faint coconut-and-vanilla finish. The aroma is gentler than the taste suggests. Pandan pairs naturally with coconut, gula melaka, lime, lemongrass, ginger, and gin botanicals (especially juniper and coriander).

It does not pair well with heavily smoky spirits (mezcal, peated Scotch). The vegetal note clashes with smoke. It is also easy to overdo; 30ml of pandan syrup in a 60ml drink is too much. Most builds use 10 to 20ml.

Where to source pandan in Malaysia

Wet markets: RM 1 to 2 for a bundle of 6 to 10 fresh leaves. Standard supply in any Malaysian wet market.

Supermarkets: Aeon, Jaya Grocer, Cold Storage, Village Grocer all carry fresh pandan leaves in the produce section, RM 2 to 4 per bundle.

Asian grocers worldwide: frozen pandan leaves keep the flavour well. Bottled pandan extract (a green liquid) is acceptable in a pinch but loses the grassy edge.

Pandan paste (concentrate, usually with food colouring): widely available, but read the label. Look for "pandan extract" not "pandan flavouring". The flavouring versions are mostly artificial.

How to prep pandan for cocktails

Pandan syrup (the standard). Bring 250ml water and 250g caster sugar to a simmer with 6 fresh pandan leaves (tied in a knot). Hold at low simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Lid on. Pull off heat, leave to steep covered until cool. Strain. Keeps refrigerated for 3 weeks. This is what we use for the Pandan Collins.

Pandan-infused spirit. Bruise 4 pandan leaves and submerge in a 500ml bottle of gin or vodka. Cap. Leave at room temperature 24 to 48 hours, tasting daily. Strain when the green-grassy character is present without dominating. Refrigerate.

Pandan-coconut milk punch. Pandan and coconut are a classic Malaysian pairing. Steep pandan in warmed coconut milk for 10 minutes, strain, then use in milk-punch clarification or as a base for tropical builds.

Pandan ice cubes. Steep pandan in hot water (no sugar), cool, freeze in cube trays. Slow flavour release as the ice melts into a highball.

Pandan oleo-saccharum. Layer torn pandan leaves with sugar in a jar. Press, leave overnight. The sugar pulls out a concentrated pandan extract. Strain. Use in tiki-style builds.

Best cocktails with pandan

Pandan Collins: gin, pandan syrup, fresh lime juice, soda. The Malaysian Tom Collins. Our house staple. Recipe.

Pandan Pina Colada: white rum, pandan syrup, coconut cream, pineapple. The Malaysian tropical variant.

Pandan-Coconut Old Fashioned: bourbon, pandan-coconut syrup, aromatic bitters. Stirred over a large rock.

Pandan and Lemongrass Highball: vodka, pandan syrup, lemongrass bitters, soda. Long, light, perfect for hot Malaysian evenings.

Cendol Cocktail: rum, pandan, coconut milk, gula melaka, red bean (yes, red bean). The Malaysian dessert in a glass.

See the full list at pandan in beverages.

Substitutions

If you cannot get pandan, no perfect substitute exists. Options:

  • Matcha syrup for the vegetal-green character, though matcha is more astringent.
  • Vanilla syrup for the sweet-aromatic side, though vanilla lacks the grassy edge.
  • Lemongrass syrup for the bright Southeast Asian character, though lemongrass is sharper.
  • Genmaicha (toasted-rice green tea) syrup for the rice-aromatic note.

None of these capture pandan. If you are making a Pandan Collins specifically, get pandan or wait. Substitutions make a different drink, not a worse Pandan Collins.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

What does pandan taste like in cocktails?

Pandan tastes vegetal-grassy and sweet without being sugary, with a faint coconut-vanilla finish. The aroma sits somewhere between jasmine rice, almond, and freshly cut grass. In a cocktail it reads as gentle and aromatic rather than punchy, which is why most builds use only 10 to 20ml of pandan syrup in a 60ml drink.

Where can I buy pandan in Malaysia?

Fresh pandan leaves are everywhere in Malaysia. Wet markets sell bundles of 6 to 10 leaves for RM 1 to 2. Aeon, Jaya Grocer, Cold Storage, and Village Grocer carry them in the produce section for RM 2 to 4. Frozen pandan is at most Asian grocers. Avoid bottled pandan flavouring; look for pandan extract instead.

What can I substitute for pandan?

There is no perfect substitute. Matcha syrup gives a vegetal-green character but reads more astringent. Vanilla syrup covers the sweet-aromatic side but loses the grass. Lemongrass syrup brings Southeast Asian brightness but is sharper. Genmaicha syrup captures the toasted-rice note. If the drink is specifically a Pandan Collins, get pandan or wait.

Which cocktails use pandan?

Our house staple is the Pandan Collins (gin, pandan syrup, lime, soda). Other regulars are Pandan Pina Colada, Pandan-Coconut Old Fashioned, Pandan and Lemongrass Highball, and the Cendol Cocktail (rum, pandan, coconut milk, gula melaka, red bean). All except the Cendol Cocktail are on the bar at both PJ outlets year-round.

How long does pandan keep?

Fresh pandan leaves keep 5 to 7 days refrigerated in a sealed bag, longer if you wrap them loosely in damp kitchen paper. Frozen pandan keeps 6 months and is fine for syrups. Pandan syrup keeps 3 weeks refrigerated; pandan-infused gin keeps indefinitely once strained.