66 out of 66 people found this review helpful.
How does "blech" turn to "yum?"
Date of Review: Mar 15, 2001
The Bottom Line: Smooth, tasty liquor just stuffed with the taste of fresh melon.
When someone first offered me a drink of this, I looked at it and said, "No. Please. Don't." It was green. It was supposed to taste like melons. I assumed it was too sweet, too syrupy and too nasty for my liking. I decided to take a chance, though, and accepted a shot of this stuff.
Well, I was impressed. Sure, this stuff is pretty sweet, but it tastes like fresh melon and has a soothing, warming feeling as it makes its way to the stomach. It's a little bit thick and on the "syrupy" side, but I rather liked it. So, I drank more.
That's a mistake. You can get too much of a good thing, and I certainly did with Midori. After a few shots of this (I won't say how many -- it should be sufficient to mention I was young and stupid), I felt kind of sick. All that sweetness can lead to a stomach ache in a hurry. So, exercise moderation with this.
So, it's good straight, but it's even better when mixed. People mix this stuff with about everything -- sweet and sour mix, orange juice and vodka, a splash of soda, some Sprite and all sorts of things. Mixers that are lighter and/or on the "citrus" side seem to go well with Midori. The combination of mixers that can be used successfully with this make for an endless parade of tasty drinks and a very versatile bottle of liquor. If you take pride in a well-stocked bar, you need to have some of this in there.
For those worried about alcohol content, Midori is pretty gentle at 42 proof. That's only 21 percent alcohol, and the "bite" that's associated with some alcoholic drinks is hidden by the very dominant and smooth taste of honeydew melon. So, you get some alcohol with this, but not too much and it doesn't really taste like it's got alcohol in it, anyway. Indeed, this is one of the smoothest drinks of straight liquor you'll ever try, yet the warm feeling it gives you makes Midori quite pleasant.
As for what foods go with this, try it with something light such as ham or pork. Keep away from beef when enjoying that mixed drink featuring Midori as the hearty taste of a good steak or roast doesn't go well with Midori. This stuff also makes for a good after-dinner drink.
So, if you can get used to drinking something green, you'll like Midori if you're in the mood with something smooth and pleasant. It won't impress the "ah drink to grow har on muh chest" crowd because it's the exact opposite of "harsh" and absolutely does not "kick like a mule." Give it a try, and you'll be hooked.
