The year 1978 can be remembered by the birth of a young green liquid known as Midori. The inventor, Suntory, created the liquor and launched it in the famous Studio 54 in Manhattan New York “attended by the stars of Saturday Night Fever, including the young up-and-comer, John Travolta.” (midori-world)
Midori is a bright green melon liquor flavored after that of a honeydew melon, although the liquor itself is brighter than the actual melon. Today you can find Midori in over 30 different countries and it tends to be favored by younger drinkers.
In 1981 Midori exceeded 100,000 cases worldwide and eventually production was moved to Mexico and sales continued. In 2001, sales figures exceeded 250,000 for this sweet crazy green liquid and I doubt it’s on any type of decline.
I’m not sure if anyone dares drink Midori by itself, using it as a core mixing ingredient for a Midori Margarita, Midori Sour, Melonball and tons of others. Stand alone, you can look for midori to be super sweet, almost like guzzling an Orgeat Syrup, Grenadine or something similar but with an actual alcoholic punch (21% alcohol by volume).
Here are some neat recipes I found on midori-world:
Midori Margarita
1 oz. Midori
1 1/2 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Sweet & Sour MixBlend with crushed ice
Garnish with lime sliceMidori Sour
1 oz. Midori
2 oz. Sweet & Sour MixShake and garnish with orange slice
1 Comment
Steve
December 27, 2011 at 9:45 pmMidori was not invented by Suntory. That is a manufactured myth. It was invented about 2 years earlier than the Studio 54 launch in a bond store laboratory at Port Botany, near Sydney Australia by an obscure Australian chemist at the suggestion of a local entrepreneur and whiskey importer (who then offered the invention to several major liquor companies – a fact that was well known by those companies for many years). They sold the rights to Suntory for a significant sum I know but will not disclose and a secrecy agreement was signed. Both men are now dead and the agreement no longer applies.