Ingredients
- 1 oz Almond Liqueur
- 1 oz Melon Liqueur
- 1 oz Coconut Rum
- 1 splash Sweet and Sour Mix
Instructions
Combine Ingredients:
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour in the almond liqueur, melon liqueur, coconut rum, and a splash of sweet and sour mix.
Shake Well:
- Shake well to mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
Strain and Serve:
- Strain the mixture into your cocktail glass filled with crushed ice.
Garnish:
- Garnish with a cherry and serve immediately.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Japanese Sex Cocktail is a 1990s tropical-bar build: amaretto, Midori melon liqueur, coconut rum and sweet and sour mix, shaken cold and served long. The name has nothing to do with Japan beyond Midori being a Japanese liqueur. It is a marketing-led name from the late twentieth century neon-bar era.
The drink sits in the same family as the Midori Sour and the Japanese Slipper. All three lean on melon liqueur as the lead flavour and use citrus to keep the sweetness from going flat. The coconut rum is what makes this one its own thing. It softens the melon and pulls the cocktail toward beach-resort territory.
Best ordered as a long pour over ice, on a hot afternoon, in a setting where bright green is the right colour for the moment.
What it tastes like
Sweet honeydew melon up front, then coconut and almond, with a citrus finish from the sweet and sour. Tropical-fruit-punch territory with a marzipan note.
Around 17 percent ABV in the glass once shaken with ice and topped with sweet and sour. Sweeter than it is strong, but it adds up quickly because it drinks like a soft drink.
The technique
Build in a shaker over ice. Equal parts amaretto, Midori, coconut rum, plus a splash of sweet and sour. Shake hard until the tin is frosted. Strain over fresh ice into a tall highball.
Use fresh sweet and sour: equal parts lemon juice and simple syrup. The bottled mix is sweeter and flatter and pulls the drink toward kid-soda. Top with a splash of soda water if you want to lengthen the glass.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Midori
- Use
- Midori melon liqueur, ideally fresh.
- Skip
- Bols Melon if a brighter green and a cleaner melon flavour are wanted.
- Why
- Midori is a Suntory product launched in 1978, honeydew-based, 20 percent ABV. It carries the colour and the headline flavour.
The coconut rum
- Use
- Malibu, Kraken Coconut, or any white-rum-based coconut liqueur.
- Skip
- Spiced rum. The cinnamon and clove fight the melon.
- Why
- The coconut softens the sharp Midori sweetness and adds a tropical note that the cocktail name promises.
The amaretto
- Use
- Disaronno or Lazzaroni amaretto.
- Skip
- Cream of almond syrup like orgeat. Different drink.
- Why
- Amaretto is the marzipan back-note that gives the drink its second flavour layer. Without it the cocktail is just melon and coconut.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The long pour
- Japanese Sex, long
- Standard build, shaken and strained over fresh ice in a highball. Top with a splash of soda for a lighter finish.
The rocks pour
- Japanese Sex, on the rocks
- Same build, less dilution. Stir over big ice in a rocks glass. Sweeter, more concentrated, drinks slower.
The frozen pour
- Japanese Sex, frozen
- Drop the build into a blender with crushed ice and pineapple chunks. Blend smooth. Slushie-cousin of a pina colada with a green tint and an almond finish.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Use any honeydew melon liqueur. Bols Melon and De Kuyper Melon are the common alternatives. Both work, both are slightly sweeter.
Use a light white rum and a teaspoon of coconut cream. Different texture, similar flavour shape.
Use orgeat syrup with a splash of vodka. Loses the liqueur warmth but keeps the almond note.
Equal parts fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, shaken in. Better than the bottled stuff in every way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Japanese Sex Cocktail?
Equal parts amaretto, Midori melon liqueur and coconut rum, shaken with a splash of sweet and sour mix, served long over ice. Four ingredients, one shaker.
How strong is a Japanese Sex Cocktail?
Around 17 percent ABV in the glass once shaken with ice and topped with sweet and sour. Sweeter than it is strong, but it adds up quickly because it drinks like a soft drink.
What does it taste like?
Sweet honeydew melon up front, then coconut and almond, with a citrus finish from the sweet and sour. Tropical-fruit-punch territory with a marzipan note.
Why is it called Japanese Sex?
The Japanese name comes from Midori, which is a Japanese liqueur made by Suntory. The rest of the name is bar-board marketing from the 1990s. The drink has no traditional connection to Japan.
Is Midori the same as melon liqueur?
Midori is a brand of melon liqueur, not the only one. Bols Melon and De Kuyper Melon are interchangeable in this drink. Midori is the most common pour and the brightest green.
Can I make it without sweet and sour mix?
Yes. Use equal parts fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, shaken in alongside the spirits. Fresh tastes brighter than bottled and is the better choice every time.
What glass should I serve it in?
A tall highball over fresh ice is standard. A rocks glass works if it is wanted more concentrated. Skip the cocktail glass: this drink is built to be long.
Can I batch it for a party?
Yes. Combine the amaretto, Midori and coconut rum in equal parts in a jug, refrigerate. At service, shake portions with ice and sweet and sour, pour over fresh ice. Do not pre-mix the citrus, it goes flat.
What can I garnish it with?
A lemon wheel, an orange slice, or a maraschino cherry. A pineapple wedge for the tropical lean. Any citrus works, the drink is easygoing.
What other cocktails are similar?
A Midori Sour, a Japanese Slipper, a Melon Ball, and a June Bug. All four lean on melon liqueur and a citrus partner, all four sit in the green-and-fruity lane.
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