Midori Sour
A Midori sour is a bright green cocktail built from Midori (a Japanese melon liqueur), vodka or white rum, and fresh lemon or lime sour mix, shaken with ice and strained over fresh ice. Midori itself is the defining ingredient: a honeydew melon liqueur made by Suntory since 1978, bottled at around 20-21% ABV, with a candy-sweet melon flavor and neon green color from added coloring rather than the melon alone.
Varieties
Midori is a specific branded product, not a generic category, so there's no varietal difference the way there is with, say, triple sec. The closest true competitors are Bols Melon and DeKuyper Midori-style melon liqueurs, which taste similar but are legally distinct products since Suntory holds the Midori trademark.
Buying tips
Midori is sold in standard 750ml bottles and widely stocked at liquor stores; there's only one producer (Suntory), so no need to compare brands the way you would with vodka. Check the cap seal for a tight fit since evaporation over years on a shelf can mute the melon flavor.
Substitutes
Melon liqueur (Bols or DeKuyper Melon) — 1:1
Nearly identical flavor profile to Midori and usually cheaper; color may be slightly less vivid green.
Hpnotiq (blended with a splash of extra sour mix) — 1:1
Sweeter and more citrus-forward with a blue-green tint, so the drink shifts color and needs less added sweetener.
Watermelon or cantaloupe puree plus simple syrup and a splash of vodka — 3 tbsp puree + 1 tsp simple syrup per 1.5 oz Midori called for
A non-liqueur workaround for a genuinely fresh-melon taste, but it loses the neon color and the alcohol content of Midori.
Green Chartreuse cut with simple syrup (in a pinch, for color and proof only) — 1:1 with 1/2 tsp simple syrup added per ounce
Matches the ABV and green color but tastes herbal, not fruity, so treat this as a last-resort substitute for appearance rather than flavor.
Storage
An unopened bottle of Midori keeps indefinitely in a cool, dark cabinet. Once opened, reseal tightly and store at room temperature away from direct light; flavor stays reliable for about a year, though the sweetness can dull slightly after 18-24 months.
How to use
Shake 1.5 oz Midori, 1.5 oz vodka, and 1 oz fresh sour mix (equal parts lemon juice and simple syrup) with ice, then strain into a chilled glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lemon wheel and cherry. Midori also works in tiki-style punches, as a float on top of a paloma for color, or drizzled over vanilla ice cream in small amounts.
What it pairs with
Pairs naturally with fresh lemon or lime juice, pineapple juice, and coconut cream in tropical builds. Also works well drizzled into prosecco for a melon spritz, or paired with ginger beer for a lower-sweetness highball.
Nutrition
A 1.5 oz pour of Midori runs roughly 130-150 calories, almost entirely from sugar; a full Midori sour with sour mix typically lands between 220-280 calories depending on how much simple syrup is used.
FAQ
What's the difference between a Midori sour and a whiskey sour?
A whiskey sour swaps whiskey for the vodka and skips the melon liqueur entirely; the Midori sour is a sweeter, fruitier variation that uses the same lemon-and-syrup sour base.
Can you make a Midori sour without vodka?
Yes. Many recipes use just Midori and sour mix without a base spirit, which lowers the ABV significantly and leans harder into the melon-candy flavor.
Why is my Midori sour more yellow-green than the neon color in photos?
Bar-served versions often use bottled sweet-and-sour mix with yellow food coloring layered under blue Midori, which shifts the color toward true green; a homemade version with only fresh lemon juice will look more olive or yellow-green.
Does Midori actually taste like melon?
It's closer to honeydew candy than fresh melon fruit, since the flavor comes from a concentrated extract and added sugar rather than pressed melon juice.
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