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Vodka · Sparkling wine · Shaken
A fruity cocktail made from vanilla vodka, passion fruit liqueur, and passion fruit purée. It's served with a small glass of Champagne on the side, sipped separately. The passion fruit tastes sweet and tangy, while the Champagne stays dry.
As of: · London, 2002
The first sip is all fruit. Passion fruit tastes sweet and tangy at once, keeping the drink lively. Behind that sits vanilla, from both the vodka and the vanilla sugar. The passion fruit liqueur adds even more sweetness on top. No lemon juice goes in—the acidity comes purely from the fruit. The glass holds 50 ml of vodka and 20 ml of liqueur, so there's a fair amount of alcohol involved. The purée masks it well, which is why the cocktail drinks more easily than its strength suggests. The Champagne on the side tastes dry and sparkles. It wipes away the sweetness for a moment.
This drink suits the evening, before a meal or at a party. Beginners handle it well since the fruit leads and nothing tastes bitter. If you prefer dry cocktails, this one will be too sweet for you. Drink it cold and unhurried. The alcohol barely registers while drinking, so one is plenty to start.
What matters
Don't shake the Champagne in—keep it in its own glass, or you'll lose the fizz. Measure the purée and vanilla sugar separately, and use unsweetened purée. Ready-made passion fruit mixes often already contain a lot of sugar, which can tip the drink into cloying territory. Shake hard so the sugar really dissolves. Pour the Champagne just before serving so it's still sparkling.
Douglas Ankrah created this drink in London in 2002. An early name for it was the Maverick Martini, but Porn Star Martini is the one that stuck. Three elements were part of the concept from the start: passion fruit, vanilla, and a glass of Champagne served alongside. The word 'Martini' is a bit misleading—back then, many cocktails served in a stemmed glass carried that name. Gin and vermouth aren't required, and indeed there's none here.
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