PEDRO’S CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH ṢHỌ̀MBỌ̀ (Cayenne Pepper)

September 30, 2026

For Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day, Pedro’s is marking the occasion with a limited-edition, pepper-infused ogogoro made to be mixed, experimented with, and perhaps take you a little beyond your usual cocktail order.

Launching exclusively at Temple Muse on October 1, Pedro’s Shọ̀mbọ́ is the brand’s first cocktail-focused spirit. The idea was influenced by what ogogoro could taste like when approached through a single Nigerian botanical.

The answer came after months of testing. The chosen botanical was Shọ̀mbọ́, the unripe cayenne pepper known for its aromatic, herbaceous character and heat. Rather than masking the spirit, Pedro’s wanted the pepper to become part of its personality, creating an ogogoro that could hold its own in a cocktail.

“With shọ̀mbọ́, we challenge our guests to break away from their cocktail comfort zones.”

It is also a fitting direction for Pedro’s, a brand that has consistently approached ogogoro as something worth reconsidering. With Shọ̀mbọ́, the brand wanted to see what happens when a spirit rooted in Nigerian drinking culture is given a place in the cocktail glass. The result is three drinks that take the heat in very different directions.

THREE WAYS TO DRINK PEDRO’S ṢHỌ̀MBỌ̀

PEDRO’S PICANTE

Sour and herbaceous, this one pairs Shọ̀mbọ́ with foraged scent leaf, lime and cane. It is the closest thing to a bright, botanical introduction to the spirit, with the pepper bringing heat without taking over.

BLOODY MOJI(SOLA)

For something more savoury, there is the Bloody Moji(sola), made with Shọ̀mbọ́, clarified tomato, shito and bitters. Richer and more umami-forward, it draws on familiar Nigerian flavours while reworking them into a cocktail.

GINGER ME

If tropical is your thing, try Ginger Me. Fermented pineapple, ginger and soda soften the heat of the Shọ̀mbọ́, creating a drink that is sweet, refreshing and pleasantly spicy.

Together, the three cocktails make the case for Shọ̀mbọ́ beyond simply being a novelty Independence Day bottle. They show how a familiar Nigerian ingredient can shift the character of a drink, depending on what you pair it with.

In all, Pedro’s Shọ̀mbọ́ is as much about curiosity as it is about flavour. A little heat, a few unexpected combinations, and a different way to drink a spirit we already know. That feels like a good reason to try something new this Independence Day.