Midori is a sweet, bright green-colored, muskmelon-flavored liqueur made by Suntory. It is manufactured in Japan, the United States, Mexico, and France. It was first released in 1964 under the name "Hermes Melon Liqueur", but changed its name to "Midori" in 1978. It was made exclusively in Japan until 1987. Midori is typically 20–21% alcohol by volume. Its name is the Japanese word for "green". The Midori formulated in France is sweeter than the original Japanese version.
As it is extremely sweet, Midori is not usually taken "straight"; it is generally used in a cocktail, e.g., the Japanese Slipper, which is a cocktail composed of Midori, Cointreau, and lemon juice. Sour flavors are often combined with Midori in order to balance out its sweetness. Midori can be mixed with vodka and 7-Up to make a cocktail that tastes similar to Mountain Dew.
