Globetrotting mixologist Nico de Soto, owner of New York City’s Mace and Paris’s Danico and a tireless advocate of the fragrant Southeast Asian plant pandan for two decades, has teamed up with expert French liquorist Maison Gabriel Boudier to create and produce KOTA Pandan Liqueur. 

Named after the word for ‘city’ in Indonesia and Malaysia, this aromatic liqueur with vanilla and buttery biscuit notes is certain to become a staple in bars across the world. In the US, KOTA Pandan Liqueur will be rolling out nationwide as of March 2025 with a suggested retail price of $34.99 (700ml, 18% ABV).

A cornerstone of Asian flavor culture, pandan is an aromatic plant grown in Southeast Asia and appreciated for its unique and delicious aromas. Its long blade-shaped leaves have a distinctive perfume, and the plant is nicknamed “Asia’s vanilla” because of its aromas of vanilla, almond and butter.  

Widely used in dishes and beverages in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Maldives, India and beyond, pandan is appreciated for its exceptional flavor. With 750 species of pandan found in Asia, Africa and Oceania, successfully harnessing this flavor for cocktails has proven challenging since species wildly vary in flavor – until now.

“I fell in love with pandan more than 15 years ago and have incorporated the essence of this Southeast Asian leaf into my cocktails since then, with my own handmade syrups,” de Soto said. “If you walked into any one of my bars, you’d always find a pandan cocktail on the menu. It’s been my dream to create a bottled pandan liqueur that I could share with my fellow bartender pandan fans, as well as for the home bartender looking for something exceptionally flavorful. KOTA Pandan Liqueur is the answer to this dream, and I am so proud to see it on bars throughout Europe and looking forward to the same in the U.S.”

Soto partnered with Gabriel Boudier, a historic family-owned spirits producer founded in Dijon, France, in 1874. The family distillery is recognized worldwide for its unique know-how in selecting and sourcing the most exquisite and rare ingredients in the world and its unmatched capacities when it comes to the infusion and extraction processes to create one-of-a-kind spirits. KOTA Pandan Liqueur is produced in small batches using pandan leaves that are steeped in neutral spirit for several days before distillation.

KOTA puts sustainability and authenticity at the heart of their packaging choices, which is why they  proudly use Wild Glass for the bottle. Made of 100% post-consumer recycled glass, it is inspired by handcrafted glass and its organic look embraces natural imperfections while maintaining the high standards of automated glass production. 

With this choice, KOTA Pandan Liqueur reinforces its vision of a sustainable future where design, durability and environmental responsibility come together to elevate spirit packaging. The bottle also features an integrated speed pour and a cork and wood closure.

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ABOUT KOTA PANDAN LIQUEUR

KOTA Pandan Liqueur is created by renowned global mixologist and bar owner Nico de Soto, bringing a complex and clean expression of this iconic Southeast Asian flavor to the world’s cocktail scene for the very first time. It is produced by Gabriel Boudier, a historic family-owned spirits producer founded in Dijon, France. The brand was introduced in Europe in 2024 and in the US in 2025. Imported to the US by Maison Ferrand USA. www.kota-liqueur.com.