Ingredients
- 15 ml Midori melon liqueur
- 15 ml vodka
- 30 ml orange juice fresh, with pulp
Instructions
- Add Midori, vodka and orange juice to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for 8 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled shot glass.
- Optional garnish: a small melon ball on a cocktail pick or a thin orange wheel.
- Drink in one go.
Notes
Where it came from
The Melon Ball was the marketing-launch cocktail for Midori melon liqueur when Suntory introduced it to the US market in 1978. The drink was created to show off Midori’s bright green colour and sweet melon flavour, and to pair it with vodka and orange juice (both familiar staples) to make it approachable.
The drink became a 1980s bar fixture, often served alongside a tiny scoop of actual honeydew melon as garnish. As Midori’s popularity grew, so did the Melon Ball, peaking in the late 1980s and quietly hanging around as a retro pour ever since.
Why orange juice
Midori is sweet and one-note on its own. Orange juice adds acidity and a contrasting citrus note that lifts the melon flavour out of the sugary zone. Vodka adds neutral backbone without competing with either flavour. Three balanced ingredients, classic 1980s template.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Midori
- Use
- Original Midori melon liqueur (Suntory)
- Try
- Bols Melon for a slightly drier version
- Skip
- Generic green melon syrup, no alcohol, no body
The orange juice
- Use
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice with pulp
- Try
- Tropicana Pure Premium as a bottled fallback
- Skip
- Concentrate or sugary orange drinks, too sweet for the Midori
The vodka
- Use
- Any clean vodka, chilled
- Try
- Citron vodka for extra citrus lift
- Skip
- Heavily aromatic vodkas
Variations
Other Midori cocktails and 1980s shooters.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Sour apple schnapps (will be greener and tarter) or watermelon liqueur.
Tropicana Pure Premium is the best bottled option.
Light rum or Cointreau. Cointreau makes it more elegant.
Triple all measures, serve over ice in a rocks glass. Now it is a Melon Ball Highball.
Top with soda water for a Melon Ball Spritz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Melon Ball shot?
Three ingredients: Midori melon liqueur, vodka and fresh orange juice. Standard shot build is 15ml Midori, 15ml vodka and 30ml orange juice, shaken with ice and strained.
Why is it called a Melon Ball?
The original Melon Ball was served with a small scoop of fresh melon as a garnish (using a melon baller, the kitchen tool). The name stuck even when most bars dropped the garnish. The drink was the launch cocktail for Midori in the US in 1978.
What is Midori?
Midori is a bright green melon-flavoured liqueur made by Suntory in Japan. Launched globally in the 1970s, it became the signature melon liqueur of the 1980s cocktail scene. The name means “green” in Japanese.
Can I serve a Melon Ball as a full cocktail?
Yes. Triple the measures and serve over ice in a rocks or highball glass. The drink works as a longer pour, especially with a splash of soda for fizz.
What does a Melon Ball taste like?
Sweet melon up front from the Midori, bright orange citrus from the OJ, and a clean vodka backbone. The colour is sunshine yellow-orange. Reads tropical, drinks like candy.
How strong is a Melon Ball shot?
Around 12 to 15 percent ABV in the shot. The orange juice dilutes the spirits significantly. One of the milder party shots.
What is the difference between a Melon Ball and a Scooby Snack?
A Melon Ball is Midori, vodka and orange juice. A Scooby Snack adds coconut rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice and cream. Same Midori base, very different drink. Melon Ball is bright and citrusy; Scooby Snack is creamy and tropical.
What food goes with a Melon Ball?
Brunch food: French toast, pancakes, fresh fruit. Also good with light salads or grilled fish. The orange juice gives it brunch credibility.
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