Japan · 1978

Midori Sour

Also known as Melon Sour, Green Sour

A bright green, candy-sweet and tart drink that tastes like summer watermelon and citrus.

melonsweetsourfruitycitrusrefreshinglow-alcoholsummercandyhighball

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with a rush of sweet melon and sharp citrus, almost like a sour watermelon candy. The middle softens out as the lemon and soda balance the sugary liqueur. It finishes quick and clean, leaving a lingering fruity sweetness on the tongue.

Who will like it

This is for drinkers who like sweet, fruity, and sour cocktails and don't mind a drink that tastes more like dessert than booze.

When to drink

Serve this at a summer party or anytime you want a fun, low-alcohol drink that goes down easy.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender to go heavy on the lemon and light on the simple syrup so the drink doesn't end up tasting like flat soda.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $3–$6Glass: HighballBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a simple, sweet-and-sour drink that tastes like watermelon candy with a squeeze of lemon. It is not complex or boozy, and it goes down very easy because of the soda water fizz. The melon flavor hits right away, the tartness keeps it from being cloying, and it finishes clean and light. There is no depth to parse here — just bright fruit and cold refreshment.

Finish: The finish is short and sweet, leaving a lingering honeydew flavor and a slight tart tingle on the sides of the tongue.

Primary tastes

sweetsourfruity

Secondary

floral

Aroma

cantaloupehoneydewcitrus zest

Sweetnessvery sweet
Midori brings a heavy dose of sugar, making this drink taste closer to candy than a spirit-forward cocktail.
Sournessmoderately sour
The lemon juice provides a solid tartness that pushes back against the sweetness, but it doesn't make the drink puckering.
Strengthlow alcohol
With only a single ounce of vodka stretched by a lot of liqueur and soda, you will barely taste the booze.
Refreshingvery refreshing
The combination of cold soda, citrus, and ice makes this a highly thirst-quenching drink.
Complexitystraightforward
What you see is what you get: sweet melon and sour lemon, with no hidden layers or evolving flavors.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Highball · equal parts on Vodka. A neutral vodka lets the melon flavor take the lead

Before you start

Pull your shaker and a tall glass out, and make sure your club soda is cold. Squeeze your lemon juice fresh if you can — it makes a big difference against the sweet melon.

Ingredients

VodkaBase Spirit30ml
MidoriLiqueurMelon liqueur; the bright green color and main flavor45ml
Lemon JuiceJuiceFresh squeezed, not bottled30ml
Simple SyrupoptionalSyrupOmit if you prefer a sharper, more tart drink15ml
Club SodaSodaChilled, added at the end for fizz60ml
Maraschino CherryGarnish1 piece
Lemon WheeloptionalGarnish1 slice

Garnish: Maraschino Cherry, Lemon Wheel

Tools

Cocktail Shaker · Shaking
To chill and mix the liqueur, vodka, and citrus quickly
At home: A large mason jar with a tight lid
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the liquid ingredients accurately
At home: A shot glass or measuring spoons
Hawthorne Strainer · Straining
To hold back the ice while pouring the drink into the glass
At home: A slotted spoon or fine mesh sieve
Highball Glass · Serving
The serving vessel that holds the drink and ice
At home: Any tall glass tumbler

Steps

1
Fill your highball glass all the way to the top with ice and set it aside. This chills the glass while you mix the drink, and you want it ready so the soda doesn't go flat.
!Filling the glass too loosely with ice, which makes the drink warm up and water down fast.
2
Pour 30ml vodka, 45ml Midori, 30ml fresh lemon juice, and 15ml simple syrup into the empty shaker. The green Midori will dominate the color, but the lemon cuts the sweetness.
!Using bottled lemon juice, which tastes metallic and harsh next to the melon.
3
Add a handful of ice to the shaker — enough to cover the liquid. Seal the shaker tight and shake it hard for about 10 seconds until the outside of the metal feels very cold to the touch.
~10s
!Shaking too gently, which leaves the drink warm and doesn't properly mix the syrup and citrus.
4
Pop the top off the shaker and fit your Hawthorne strainer over the opening. Pour the green liquid over the ice in your chilled highball glass, filling it about three-quarters of the way up.
!Pouring too fast and splashing the liquid over the rim.
5
Top the drink off with 60ml cold club soda, pouring it gently down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles. Give it one gentle stir with a spoon just to mix the soda through, then drop in a cherry and a lemon wheel.
!Stirring too hard after adding the soda, which kills the fizz.

Serve

Serve it right away while the soda is still fizzy and the glass is frosty. The ice should come up to the top of the liquid to keep it cold.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Midori

MidoriWatermelon Liqueur
Match
Specialty availability
Midori → Watermelon Liqueur: Shifts the flavor from honeydew to watermelon, but keeps the same bright green color and sweetness.
MidoriMuddle Fresh Honeydew
Match
Common availability
Midori → Muddle Fresh Honeydew: Gives a real, earthy melon taste with far less sugar, but you lose the neon green color and the drink will be cloudier.

Swap options for Vodka

VodkaGin
Match
Common availability
Vodka → Gin: Adds herbal and pine notes that clash slightly with the sweet melon but give the drink more backbone.
VodkaWhite Rum
Match
Common availability
Vodka → White Rum: Adds a subtle sugarcane sweetness that blends smoothly with the melon without fighting it.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Amaretto Sour

The Amaretto Sour uses almond liqueur instead of melon, giving it a nutty, warm flavor instead of fruity green.

Match

Both drinks are approachable, sweet-sour highballs, but the Amaretto Sour has a richer, toasted almond warmth while the Midori Sour is all bright, cool melon.

In common: Sour family, Shaken and served tall, Sweet and tart profile, Low ABV

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Club Soda, Maraschino Cherry

Only in Midori Sour

Midori

Only in Amaretto Sour

Amaretto

Swapping Midori for Amaretto completely changes the drink from a bright, fruity melon cocktail to a darker, nutty almond cocktail.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Sweet and sour backbone, Citrus brightness, Light and refreshing body

How Amaretto Sour differs

Nutty instead of fruity, Warmer flavor profile, Darker color

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Japanese Slipper

The Japanese Slipper uses Cointreau instead of vodka and is served up in a martini glass without soda.

Match

The Japanese Slipper is a concentrated, boozy melon-citrus hit, while the Midori Sour is a stretched out, fizzy, lighter version of the same basic idea.

In common: Midori-forward, Shaken, Sweet and sour, Bright green color

Ingredients

Both share

Midori, Lemon Juice

Only in Midori Sour

Vodka, Simple Syrup, Club Soda

Only in Japanese Slipper

Cointreau

The Japanese Slipper swaps the vodka and soda for orange liqueur, making it a stronger, shorter drink without the fizzy dilution.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Dominant melon flavor, Citrus tartness, Candy-like sweetness

How Japanese Slipper differs

Stronger alcohol bite, Orange notes, No fizz

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Midori was launched by Suntory in 1978 and quickly became a bar staple for sweet, green cocktails. The Midori Sour emerged as a natural extension of classic sour templates using the new liqueur, popularized in the 1980s.

Creator: Suntory
Era: 1970s
Confidence

The exact proportions of Midori to lemon vary widely; this spec balances the sweetness while keeping the bright green color.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Skip the simple syrup if you find Midori sweet enough on its own.
Use white rum instead of vodka for a slightly richer flavor.
Chill your glass in the freezer for five minutes before making the drink.
Shake hard to get the lemon and syrup fully mixed and cold.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use bottled lemon juice; it tastes flat and metallic.
Don't stir the soda aggressively or you will kill the fizz.
Don't skip the ice; this drink needs to be very cold.