Passoã: the perfect partner for summer cocktails

With winter well and truly over, Passoã is the quintessential taste of summer and should be the star of any cocktail menu.

As the season changes, consumers are always on the hunt for an on-trend drink whether on holiday, at home, or hoping to feel like they’re on holiday while at home. CGA’s Mixed Drinks report on drinking behaviours in 2022 found that fruity flavours have the greatest appeal, with passion fruit making the top three. With its refreshing and tropical taste, it’s no wonder that drinkers are drawn to it during the summer months.

Passoã is the world’s leading passion fruit liqueur and has managed to carve a niche for itself as the essential ingredient in a range of vibrant cocktails, none more famous than the Pornstar Martini. From beach bars and city rooftops to the patio garden of your neighbourhood cocktail bar, Passoã can make any drinker feel like they’re watching the sunset in Ibiza or sunbathing beneath a palm tree in the Caribbean.

Made with real passion fruit and containing no artificial flavours, Passoã has an ABV of 17%, meaning it can also be served as a lower-alcohol option in serves such as a Passoã and tonic, or simply mixed with sparkling water or fruit juice.

But the heart of Passoã’s allure lies in its starring role in the Pornstar Martini, with the liqueur featuring in the cocktail’s original recipe created by Douglas Ankrah. The drink was named the UK’s favourite cocktail in 2018 and has remained so since.

Combining Passoã, vodka, vanilla syrup, lime and fresh passion fruit, with a shot of Prosecco on the side, the drink’s luscious sweetness with a hint of tanginess has made it an enduring favourite – one that drinkers continually cite as their ‘go-to drink’. Include this classic cocktail on your menu and it’s sure to be a best-seller.

Pornstar Martinis aside, Passoã is a versatile liqueur that deserves pride of place on your back bar. It can add passion to any classic cocktail, from a Margarita to a Mojito, elevating a drink and helping it to feel more premium, unique and, of course, tropical.

Meanwhile, a Passoã Spritz could take the crown from a certain orange competitor, while a jug full of Passoã Sangria is an efficient and invigorating way to serve a crowd, freeing up bartenders to continue shaking rounds and rounds of Pornstar Martinis.

“We are incredibly proud to be the go-to passion fruit liqueur for mixologists worldwide,” said Kaarina Jannin, Passoã’s global brand director. “We’re always excited to see how bartenders use the versatile liquid in such a wide variety of cocktails, and these wonderful creations tagged to the @passoa Instagram.”

As temperatures rise and summer beckons, there’s no better time to embrace the passion of Passoã. And, for bars hoping to continue the party as summer closes, Pornstar Martini Week will take place on 2-8 September. Passoã will, of course, be running various activations with bars, helping the on-trade to make the most of the event.

Pornstar Martini

40ml/1¼ oz Passoã
30ml/1 oz vodka (such as Bols Vodka)
10ml/⅓ oz vanilla syrup
30ml/1 oz unsweetened passion fruit purée

Double shake all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Double strain and serve in a fancy pre-chilled coupe or Martini glass. Garnish with one passionfruit half and serve with a shot of Prosecco or Champagne.

Passoã Margarita

20ml/¾ oz Passoã
50ml/1½ oz Tequila (such as Tequila Partida)
15ml/½ oz triple sec
20ml/¾ oz fresh lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into a glass rimmed with sugar.

Passoã Spritz

2 parts Passoã
3 parts Prosecco
1 part soda water

Combine in a large wine glass with ice.