In Southeast Asia, pandan leaves are used to give a unique flavour and aroma to desserts and drinks as well as savoury dishes. Pandan leaves, which are sold fresh, frozen or dried, can also be used to wrap savoury foods, such as chicken or sticky rice. The leaves impart these ingredients with an aromatic note and also give the dish a visual appeal.
The aroma and flavour of the pandan plant is very unique and often described as a nutty leaf, being sweet, floral, and grassy all at once. When it is used in cocktails, it comes up on the palate much later than everything else. Adding a really nice aftertaste to drinks without overwhelming any other ingredients, what makes it a very versatile part to use.
Being complex and multi layered pandan leave works well with many different spirits. The sweet elements work well with spirits like rum, gin and whiskey while the delicate earth flavours also make a great match with tequila, genever and vodka.
Bandoeng’22 has a well-balanced flavour of distilled pandan leaves combined with Asian spices and is a beloved ingredient for many bartenders & chefs.
