Maison Gabriel Boudier
Kota
18%
NA
Occasionally dubbed the "vanilla of Southeast Asia," pandan is a tropical plant known for its nutty, rice-like flavor, often found atop curries and desserts throughout Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia among other countries. In enters Nico de Soto, a self-proclaimed globetrotter and mixologist who fell in love with the flavor during a stint abroad. You probably have an idea where this story is going. Partnering with French liquorist Maison Gabriel Boudier, Soto brings us a neutral spirit-based product that's steeped in pandan leaves for several days before distillation. It's bottled at a cool 18% ABV and is recommended in signature cocktails like the Pandan Espresso Martini, Pandan Negroni, Pandan Margarita and the like.
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Malted biscuits and peanut shells dominate the nose alongside perfumed aromas of vanilla, wet grass and almonds. Smells like the oven was just yanked open at a bakery. The closest comparison I can think of in the liqueur world is orgeat.
Dense and custardy, almost overwhelming after a few sips. Crushed biscuits are once again the biggest note. There's a hay-like vegetal character, cashews, peanuts, nutmeg and a honeyed sweetness akin to mango sticky rice. The alcohol content barely rears its head, but this is clearly meant as a vessel for nutty flavor above all else.
Mostly herbal on the backend with flavors of chamomile and grass. This being a liqueur, there's plenty of syrupy sweetness as well.
I'm tempted to praise how incredibly unique and unexpected this is, but that might undersell that fact that pandan is decidedly not an ingredient in my flavor vocabulary. Its buttery, toast-like palate manages to feel nostalgic and wholly new in equal parts. Excellent stuff. However, if you're gearing up to use this in a cocktail, I wouldn't exactly say its versatile. Anything you pour this into is going to taste like pandan through and through. Time to crack open the recipe book.
90
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
