Best Midori Sour

Looking for a stunning green cocktail? Try this Midori Sour recipe! This 1980’s classic is like the drink equivalent of a melon Jolly Rancher. But it’s not overly sweet: it’s perfectly sweet tart! The eye-catching glowing green color comes from Midori, a Japanese melon-flavored liqueur. This drink was big in the 1980s and 90’s made with sour mix. Our spin is a refreshed version of this classic with real lemon and lime, and let me tell you: one sip of this and you’ll be a believer.

What’s in a Midori Sour?

The Midori Sour is a popular cocktail from the 1980’s that sprung up after the bright green Japanese liqueur was introduced in the United States in 1978. Unfortunately, pairing the melon-flavored liqueur with sour mix and vodka made a super-sweet and artificial-tasting low brow drink. But Midori’s enjoying a bit of a come-back these days. Mix it up as a sour cocktail with real citrus and no added sugar, and surprisingly refreshing and uniquely fruity. In our opinion, this Midori Sour recipe is the best way to make it. It’s fresh, modern, and easy to whip up right in the cocktail glass. For this modern Midori Sour, you’ll need:

Midori liqueurLime juiceLemon juiceSoda water

More about Midori

Midori is a unique liqueur…is it worth the purchase? We tried it out so you didn’t have to. Here’s what we think about this bright green bottle:

Midori is a bright green, honeydew melon flavored Japanese liqueur. It was first released in 1964 as Hermes Melon Liqueur. When released in the US in 1978, the name was changed to “Midori,” the Japanese word for green. What does Midori taste like? It’s very sweet, with a candy-like honeydew melon flavor. Midori is typically mixed into cocktails instead of drinking it straight. What cocktails can you make with Midori? The most famous cocktails with Midori are the Midori Sour, Japanese Slipper, and Tokyo Tea (Long Island Iced Tea with Midori). How much does Midori cost? A small bottle (375 ml) costs around $15, and a large bottle (750 ml) is about $25-30. Is it worth buying? Yes, for the adventurous home mixologist! It’s definitely a specialty liqueur, but a fun splurge.

How to make a Midori sour…right in the glass

A great thing about our spin on the Midori sour? You can mix it right in the cocktail glass! There’s no need to dirty a cocktail shaker. Here’s all you need to do to make this easy drink:

Stir: Pour Midori, lime juice and lemon juice into the serving glass. Add ice and stir. Add soda water: Then top it off with soda water! No shaking required. Some versions of a Midori sour use egg white in a cocktail shaker to get a frothy foam topping, but to us the simplicity of this drink is key. It’s refreshing and full of searing melon flavor!

This drink has become a favorite of ours because we’re massive sour cocktail fans! There are so many sours to try, from the classic Whiskey Sour and Pisco Sour to the modern Fernet Sour. Let us know what you think of this drink in the comments below.

Step it up: serve with clear ice!

Last note! Want to step up this Midori sour recipe? Use clear ice! Clear ice is crystal clear artisan-style ice, versus the cloudy ice you get from using an ice tray. It’s easy to make at home and cut into organic shapes. The glittering cubes make the drink look like you got it in a fancy bar! For more, go to How to Make Clear Ice.

More Midori cocktails

Need help using up your bottle of Midori? There are a few other tasty ways to enjoy it outside of the popular sour. Here are a few other Midori cocktails starring this green liqueur:

Tokyo Tea This easy sipper is like Long Island Iced Tea…but with Midori! And even tastier. Japanese Slipper Pair Midori with Cointreau and lemon for a classy cocktail.