While the drink’s name might raise a few eyebrows, the Pornstar Martini will win over uptight drinkers with its easygoing profile. Tart bursts of passion fruit, rich vanilla, and a side of bubbly wine combine in this modern classic.
The cocktail was created by the late Doug Ankrah, a bartender familiar with the London and New York City drinks scenes. It’s believed that he first conceptualized the recipe on an early-2000s visit to Cape Town, South Africa while working on his book, “Shaken and Stirred.” The Pornstar Martini then landed on the menu at Ankrah’s London bars Lab and Townhouse. There, it further developed into the cocktail that’s so beloved today.
The Pornstar Martini should be served in a coupe glass with a sidecar of sparkling wine, usually Prosecco or Champagne. The cocktail is shaken, yielding a fluffy texture, while a fresh passion fruit garnish is floated on top of its foamy head. The build often doesn’t include any citrus (some recipes include a half- ounce of lime juice), though its profile often resembles that of a sour. The Pornstar Martini is typically highly acidic and tart with an unexpected sweetness, playing well with the base spirit, vanilla vodka. Meanwhile, the bubbly sidecar can be sipped as a separate shot or poured into the cocktail. The Pornstar Martini is a true crowd-pleaser — so much so that it’s found a well-earned spot on the list of the 50 most popular cocktails in the world. Feast your eyes on the other 49.
Learn how to make Ankrah’s iconic modern classic via the recipe below.
Douglas Ankrah, the creator of the Pornstar Martini, claimed that the cocktail seemed like something a porn star would order, thus giving the cocktail its name. Others have suggested that the cocktail was inspired by Ankrah’s idea of what a porn star’s perfume might smell like.
How do you drink a Pornstar Martini?
A Pornstar Martini is first shaken, and then strained into a chilled coupe or Martini glass to serve after topping with sparkling wine.
The History Of The Pornstar Martini
The Pornstar Martini, infamous for both its name and unique flavor, was created by London bar owner Douglas Ankrah, the mind behind two of London’s trendiest bars, LAB and Townhouse, both of which closed down in 2016.
Ankrah stated in an interview with The Buyer that “bars, when done properly, should be environments where one can be bold, sexy, and playful,” and that he set out on a mission to find a drink that encapsulated each of these qualities. Enter: The Pornstar Martini. While on a trip to Cape Town, South Africa in the early 2000s, Ankrah describes a sort of “eureka” moment in which he thought of the cocktail while writing his book, “Shaken and Stirred: Douglas Ankrah’s Cocktails.” A frequent patron of Cape Town’s gentlemen’s club Mavericks, Ankrah had originally named the cocktail The Maverick, and later changed the name when he arrived back in London to open Townhouse. When asked where the name came from, Ankrah simply claimed that he thought the drink seemed like something a pornstar would drink.
Described by Ankrah himself as the ultimate party cocktail, The Pornstar Martini launched on the London scene in 2002 and was an instant sensation, with Ankrah’s two bars (at the time) quickly becoming the go-to spots for revolutionary cocktails in the UK. By 2018, The Pornstar Martini was widely recognized as one of the most popular cocktails in the country. While its etymology might be obscure, the Pornstar Martini’s flavor is quite the contrary — the creamy vanilla vodka is complemented by tangy, succulent passion fruit liqueur that packs a punch. A bit of lime juice and sparkling wine make for an even more intensely piquant taste, though this cocktail definitely maintains its sweetness.
Pornstar Martini Variations To Try:
Popular Pornstar Martini Riffs:
The Simplified Porn Star Martini - In the Simplified Pornstar Martini, the creamy vanilla vodka is complemented by tangy, succulent passion fruit liqueur that packs a punch.
