LIQUEUR-MIDORI-001 Melon Midori by Suntory

🧃 Introduction to Midori Melon Liqueur

Product name: Midori (Japanese for “green”) — a melon-flavored liqueur known for its vibrant, neon-green color.

Origin: Originally launched in 1964 in Japan under the name Hermes Melon Liqueur, it was rebranded as Midori when introduced to the U.S. market in 1978, debuting at a glamorous event at Studio 54, New York.

Production: Made from Yubari King and musk melons grown in Japan. The melons are extracted and processed in Japan, then the liqueur is blended and bottled in Japan, Mexico, or France, depending on the market.

📦 Basic Information

🍸 Flavor Profile & Usage

Midori is very sweet, with a distinct cantaloupe melon aroma and flavor. It is rarely consumed neat due to its intense sweetness.

Instead, it shines best when diluted or used as a base ingredient in cocktails to balance the sweetness and add color.

🍹 Popular Cocktails Featuring Midori

🥂 Japanese Slipper
30 ml Midori + 30 ml Cointreau + 30 ml fresh lemon juice. Shake with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with a melon slice or cherry. A bright, citrusy, well-balanced drink.

🍋 Midori Sour
Midori mixed with vodka (or shochu), lemon juice, and soda water — a refreshing sweet-sour cocktail.

🌴 June Bug
A tropical mix: Midori, coconut rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, and sweet & sour mix. Shake with ice, serve in a Collins glass, and garnish with fruit. Sweet and fruity with eye-catching green color.

🌿 Other modern cocktails (as featured in Food & Wine):

• Honeydew Collins (white rum, Midori, melon juice, lime, soda)

• Midori & Rye (rye whiskey, Midori, lemon juice, simple syrup)

• Melon Ball (vodka, Midori, melon & pineapple juice, lemon)

These drinks balance Midori’s sweetness and highlight its versatility in mixology.

✅ Quick Summary

Midori is a Japanese melon liqueur with a bold neon-green color, introduced in 1964 and gaining international fame in the late 1970s.

• Alcohol content: 20% ABV

• Typical bottle size: 700 ml

• Flavor: Sweet, fruity, unmistakably melon

• Best used: In cocktails like Japanese Slipper, Midori Sour, or June Bug

A fun, vibrant liqueur that adds color, sweetness, and tropical flair to any drink menu.