How did the Pornstar Martini get its name?
The Spark of an Idea
Ever wondered what it takes to create a million-dollar cocktail? Well, for legendary mixologist and creator of the Pornstar Martini, Douglas Ankrah, it began with sunshine, a trip to South Africa, and a flash of inspiration at just the right moment..
In 1999, while visiting Cape Town, Ankrah was on his way to Mavericks, a bar where he often worked on his then-upcoming book Shaken: Douglas Ankrah’s Cocktails. That warm, bright day sparked a simple but powerful thought:
What if he combined three of the most popular flavours of the time, Prosecco, vodka, and passionfruit, into a single drink?
The Name: From Maverick to Pornstar
Initially, Ankrah named his new creation the Maverick Martini, inspired by the bar where the idea first struck. But the recipe was still evolving, from ingredient ratios to the addition of Passoã, lime juice, and sugar. It wasn’t until he returned to London that the cocktail truly took shape.
Back home in London, Ankrah owned the iconic LAB Bar which was located in the heart of the Soho district. He’d founded it three years earlier as the London Academy of Bartenders in 1996, an academic institution that produced some of the top bartenders in London. The LAB Bar was transformed into a proper bar in 1999, quickly becoming one of London’s top drinking spots at the time. It was also where Ankrah first sold his Maverick Martini. But it didn’t hit commercial lift-off until 2002, when Ankrah introduced it at his next venue, the Townhouse in Knightsbridge.
Ankrah soon noticed though that the drink’s name wasn’t quite right. In an interview with The Buyer, he admitted that ‘Maverick Martini’ didn’t quite capture the spirit of the drink. He wanted something catchy. Something exciting. Something that exemplified the three things an ideal bar scene should be. Bold. Sexy. Playful.
And few other names capture these three things better than the word, ‘Pornstar’. So he renamed his cocktail, ‘Pornstar Martini’.
There are some theories on the real reason Ankrah chose this name. Some say he was inspired by the whiff of a provocative perfume. Some others claim he had a favourite pornstar at the time. Ankrah debunked all these in his interview with The Buyer, asserting that he chose it simply because he thought it was something a pornstar would drink. He also believed it was an effective way to pique people’s attention. And he was right. The drink’s new name undeniably drew a lot of interest at first and continues to do so today. It’s the only reason many people even taste it in the first place.
The Unique Taste (and Theatre) Behind the Trend
To credit the cocktail’s success purely to its name would be unfair. Several factors made the Pornstar Martini an instant hit:
1. The Perfect Launch Pad
Both LAB Bar and Townhouse were major London hotspots in the early 2000s. LAB in particular was a training ground for up-and-coming bartenders who learned Ankrah’s original recipe and spread it across the city’s nightlife scene.
2. A Standout Flavour Profile
At the time, nothing tasted quite like it. Passionfruit, vanilla vodka and brut Champagne created a fresh, vibrant flavour that felt both indulgent and refreshing. The passionfruit, flown over 6,000 miles from South America, gave the drink an unmistakable aroma and a distinctive tang. Split in half and floated on top, it added a literal and figurative garnish of tropical drama.
No wonder some call it the Cocktail with Passion.
3. A One-of-a-Kind Serve
Another hallmark is its iconic service: a chilled martini glass paired with a separate shot of Prosecco or Champagne. This mini ceremony adds a sense of theatre, a little luxury, a little mystery, making it arguably the only cocktail that comes with another drink as garnish.
For newcomers, the biggest question is always: how do you drink it?
Simple: sip the martini first, then the bubbles, alternating for maximum effect.
Two decades on, the Pornstar Martini remains the UK’s most-searched cocktail recipe on Google, averaging around 165,000 monthly searches far ahead of its runner-up, the Espresso Martini, at 110,000.
But its journey hasn’t been without controversy.
Controversies of the ‘Pornstar Martini’
One notable example of this is the 2019 complaint brought against retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S). M&S had previously released its bottled version of the cocktail, giving it its original name, ‘Pornstar Martini’. But a member of the public complained that since the word ‘Pornstar’ widely referred to people paid for their sexual performances, M&S was encouraging such by naming its drink so. The Portman Group represented the complainant before the Independent Complaints Panel. The Panel agreed with M&S that nothing except the drink’s name was sexually suggestive. Yet, it ruled that the company could change it to something less provocative. Since M&S was a co-signatory of the Portman Group, it had to follow the Panel’s ruling. So, it changed the drink’s name to Passion Star Martini.
This controversy may even impact buyers’ likelihood to purchase the cocktail. Research by Travel Republic revealed that one in three Brits disapprove of sexually suggestive drink names, like Sex on the Beach and Pornstar Martini, and are less likely to order such while on holiday. But this has not stopped other retailers from cashing on the drink’s popularity over the years. They simply change the name to Passionfruit Martini to avoid any controversy.
Pornstar Martini Recipe
There are countless variations, in fact, it’s rare to find two identical recipes. At our Pornstar Martini Workshop at MicroBarBox, this version stood out as the favourite:
Ingredients:
- 50ml Vanilla Vodka
- 15ml Passionfruit Liqueur
- 25ml Passionfruit Puree
- 15ml Sugar Syrup
- A splash of fresh lime juice
- Half a passionfruit to garnish
- A shot of Prosecco/Champagne
Note: If you’re out of vodka, you can substitute with white rum, dark rum or tequila. The taste will be slightly different but nonetheless refreshing.
Instructions:
- Add the vodka, liqueur, purée, sugar syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until well mixed.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Halve the passionfruit and float one half on top.
- Pour the Prosecco or Champagne into a shot glass and serve alongside.