For the past several years, Midori has been inching its way back from its role as a maligned mixer of the disco era to holding a respectable spot on the backbar. In 2012, a revised formula for the liqueur shifted its flavor profile to lean on two Japanese melon varieties—yubari and muskmelon—and since then, Midori has had an unironic return that shows no signs of slowing.
Beverage consultant John deBary’s Three-Ingredient Midori Sour lets the new recipe shine in all its glory. Likewise, simplicity is key in the Japanese Slipper, an Australian sour from the 1980s that’s still beloved today, and the June Bug, a drink from TGI Fridays that’s seen a recent resurgence. But the fruit-forward, aromatic liqueur finds itself outside of these throwbacks, too, layered alongside everything from génépy to matcha to green Chartreuse.
To get started with Midori at home, here are some bartender-backed recipes starring the liqueur.
