Midori Sour recipe
Bright melon, fresh citrus, and soda — the version that tastes like a cocktail, not candy.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Highball glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Daiquiri Family
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Vodka (optional but gives the drink a firmer backbone)
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 0.25 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 1.5 oz Club Soda
How to make a Midori Sour
- Fill a highball glass with fresh ice.
- Add Midori, vodka, lemon juice, and lime juice to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 10 seconds until the tin is cold and frosted.
- Strain into the prepared glass and top with club soda.
- Give the drink one gentle lift with a bar spoon, then garnish.
Garnish
Lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry.
Pro tip
Do not add extra syrup. Midori brings plenty of sweetness, so fresh citrus and dry club soda are what keep the drink lively instead of sticky.
History of the Midori Sour
Midori launched in Japan in 1978 and became a fixture of bright, fruit-forward cocktails in the 1980s. The Midori Sour turned up in bars everywhere because it is easy to recognize, easy to build, and much better when it is balanced with real juice.
Flavour profile
Melon, Citrus, Bright, Light
Variations
- Midori Fizz — Leave out the vodka and use 2 oz soda for a lower-proof version.
- Japanese Slipper — Shake Midori, Cointreau, and lemon juice; serve up with no soda.
- Melon Collins — Use gin instead of vodka and add 0.25 oz simple syrup only if the citrus is unusually sharp.
Practise making the Midori Sour in the free Virtual Bar game.