This neon green cocktail combines a classic gin cocktail with the bright, melon-flavored liqueur Midori. It's fruity, citrusy, botanical, and vibrant enough for St. Patricks' Day celebrations!
The Southside is a classic gin cocktail that's light and herbal, making it a really nice drink for spring. Recently, I've been experimenting more with popular liqueurs I don't use often (think Midori, Malibu, Disaronno) and it occurred to me that the mint and citrus of the Southside would pair perfectly with the fruity melon flavor of Midori.
About the Southside
The Southside (or South Side, depending on who you ask) is an old gin, citrus and mint cocktail with many interpretations. It originated sometime in the early 1900s and is most often described as being made with lime juice, sugar and mint. A Southside Fizz is made with the addition of club soda. I love how perfectly cool and refreshing this combination of gin, lime, mint, and sweet melon is!
The ingredients
For a Midori Southside, you'll need five ingredients. Here's everything you need to know about each and my recommendations.
Gin
There's a lot of variety in gins these days, from the classic London drys to unusual floral gins like Uncle Val's Botanical. The great thing about this cocktail recipe is that you can use just about any gin you like and it will work beautifully!
Melon and mint pair well with the more crisp and juniper-forward gins, and they also pair nicely with gins that are more citrusy, herbal, floral, or even fruit-forward like Brockman's. This time around I made it with Luxardo London Dry Gin for a classic flavor profile. For a less traditional flavor profile, I recommend trying it with Hendrick's or Uncle Val's Botanical.
Midori Melon Liqueur
You'll need one ounce of Midori for this recipe. Midori Melon Liqueur is a Japanese liqueur flavored with rare Japanese muskmelons. It was invented in the 1960s and rose to popularity in 1978 when it was featured in an award-winning cocktail called "The Universe" at the US Bartender's Guild. Since then, drinks like the Midori Sour have grown in popularity, waned, and then periodically grown again. It's safe to say that vibrant, green Midori cocktails are here to stay.
About Japanese muskmelon
Japanese muskmelons are a rare (and very expensive) type of muskmelon that are said to be much more flavorful and juicy than the similar-looking honeydew or cantaloupe. They have a pale green flesh like honeydew, but their skin has a webbed or netted appearance like cantaloupe.
Japanese muskmelons are considered a symbol of luxury and are often given as a gift. I found some I could purchase online and they're about $160 USD per melon. I'm so curious to try them. Definitely adding these gorgeous melons to my produce bucket list!
Lime juice
You'll need an ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice to balance the sweetness of Midori and simple syrup. Half a large lime or one small lime will yield about an ounce of juice.
Simple syrup
This recipe requires a half ounce of simple syrup. If you're only making a drink or two, you probably don't need to make a large batch of simple syrup. Make a quick, small batch by mixing a quarter cup of sugar with a quarter cup of warm water.
Stir until the sugar dissolves and it's ready to use. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Learn everything there is to know about simple syrup in my Complete Guide to Simple Syrup.
How to make the cocktail
To make the Midori Southside, combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill it about three quarters with ice. Shake until very cold, then fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass. It's important to fine strain this drink to avoid bits of mint in your glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.
More Midori cocktails
Want even more Midori cocktail inspiration? Try these from around the web:
What I love about this cocktail
What I love about the Midori Southside is that it's bright, colorful, refreshing and a little offbeat. Its flavors are perfect for warmer weather with the very cooling combination of lime, mint and melon. I love the uplifting botanical aroma and flavor of gin with mint, which is very symbolic of spring to me. It's a very simple yet delicious twist on a classic cocktail, and those are usually my favorite kinds of drinks!
Who this cocktail is for
Anyone who likes fun, fruity, light and refreshing cocktails is likely to enjoy this one! It's great for gin fans, fans of Midori or other fruity liqueurs, and fans of mint and lime drinks like the Mojito. If you like the sweet and sour flavors of a Margarita, you might like other sour-style drinks like this one.
You may also enjoy these other cocktails:
Midori Southside (Gin, Melon and Mint Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
- 1 oz lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 5-8 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill it ¾ with ice.
- Shake until chilled, then fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with mint.