Make the Best Midori Sour (No Sour Mix!)

Here’s the best recipe for a Midori Sour, a bright green cocktail with a zingy melon flavor! Ditch the sour mix for this fresh homemade version.

If you’re looking for a stunning green cocktail, try this Midori Sour recipe. The 1980s version is like the drink equivalent of a melon Jolly Rancher, but I’ve given this one a makeover with real lemon and lime over sour mix. One sip of this and you’ll never make it another way!

Why’s it so green?

The eye-catching glowing green color in this cocktail comes from Midori, a Japanese melon-flavored liqueur. The liqueur was introduced in the United States in 1978, and its bright green hue quickly made it a popular addition to cocktail menus throughout the 1980s.

Unfortunately, the classic mode of prep paired the melon-flavored liqueur with sour mix and vodka for a super-sweet and artificial-tasting low-brow drink.

The good news is, Midori’s enjoying a bit of a comeback these days. Mix it up as a sour cocktail with real citrus and no added sugar, and it’s surprisingly refreshing. In my opinion, this recipe is the best way to make it. It’s fresh, modern, and easy to whip up right in the cocktail glass.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Midori liqueur
• Lime juice
• Lemon juice
• Soda water

More about Midori

Midori is a unique liqueur, but is it worth the purchase? I tried it out a few different ways so you didn’t have to. Here’s what I 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 U.S. 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.
• Midori isn’t expensive. A small bottle (375 ml) costs around $15, and a large bottle (750 ml) is about $25-30.
• Is it worth buying? I’ll say it is, if you’re an adventurous home mixologist! It’s definitely a specialty liqueur, but a fun splurge.

Making your cocktail

A great thing about my spin on the Midori Sour is that 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:

• Pour and stir. Pour Midori, lime juice, and lemon juice into the serving glass. Add ice and stir.
• Add 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 the simplicity of this drink is key for me. It’s refreshing and full of searing melon flavor without any add-ons.

This drink has become a favorite of mine because my husband and I are massive sour cocktail fans. There are so many sours to try, from the classic Whiskey Sour and Pisco Sour to the modern Fernet Sour. They may not look as fun as this one, though!

Upgrade with clear ice

If you want to step this recipe up a little, use clear ice! Clear ice is crystal clear artisan-style ice compared to 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!

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 more Midori cocktails starring this green liqueur:

• Tokyo Tea: This easy sipper is like Long Island Iced Tea, but with Midori!
• Japanese Slipper: Pair Midori with Cointreau and lemon for a classy cocktail.

When to serve a Midori sour

The Midori sour is a unique cocktail meant to impress. Try it as a:

• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Late night drinks drink
• Guys’ or girls’ night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

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