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United States (a Midori-based riff on the Long Island Iced Tea) · American

Tokyo Tea (The Green Midori Long Island)

A neon-green Long Island variation — the five-spirit base swapped onto Midori melon liqueur for a sweet-tart, fruity drink that's far stronger than its candy colour suggests.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 26, 2026

A tall neon-green Tokyo Tea over ice with a lime wheel and a straw, bright and glowing against a dark bar.

The Tokyo Tea takes the Long Island template and trades the cola for Midori, the bright green Japanese melon liqueur launched in 1978 — hence the 'Tokyo' nod. The colour is pure 1980s, but underneath it's the same five-spirit powerhouse.

Yield
Makes 1
Prep
5 min
Cook
0 min
Total
About 5 min
Difficulty
Easy

The Tokyo Tea is the Long Island gone neon green. Keep the five-spirit base, drop the cola, and add Midori melon liqueur instead. It tastes like melon candy with a citrus snap — and it’s every bit as strong as the original.

Midori does the colour and the sweetness

The green Japanese melon liqueur is the whole personality of this drink. Because it’s already sweet, you skip the simple syrup and let fresh lemon do the balancing.

A splash of soda for lift

A little lemon-lime soda on top lengthens and lightens a build that would otherwise be heavy and sweet. Add it last, just for fizz.

Looks like candy, drinks like a Long Island

Same five spirits underneath the green — pace yourself and keep water on hand. For its blue sibling, try the Electric Iced Tea. More in the Drinks guide.

Ingredients

Makes
1
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) vodka
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) white rum
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) gin
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) blanco tequila
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) triple sec (Cointreau or good orange liqueur)
  • 15 ml (0.5 oz) Midori (melon liqueur) This replaces the cola — it's the colour and the melon-candy flavour.
  • 25 ml (0.75 oz) fresh lemon juice
  • Top, about 30 ml (1 oz) lemon-lime soda (Sprite/7Up)
  • lime wheel or cherry, to garnish
  • ice

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice and add the vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, Midori and fresh lemon juice.

    Why: Midori brings its own sugar, so no simple syrup is needed — the lemon keeps it from getting cloying.

  2. Stir briefly, then top with a splash of lemon-lime soda for lift and fizz.

    Why: A little soda lengthens and lightens what is otherwise a very sweet, very strong build.

  3. Garnish with a lime wheel or a cherry and serve with a straw.

    Why: A citrus garnish cuts the candy sweetness; the straw mixes the layers as you drink.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Classic Long Island

    Swap the Midori for cola and skip the soda for the original amber drink.

  • Electric / Blue

    Use blue curaçao instead of Midori for a bright blue Electric Iced Tea.

  • Less sweet

    Cut the Midori to 10 ml and lengthen with more lemon and soda.

Serving & Storage

Serve ice-cold with a straw. The melon-candy sweetness hides serious strength — drink it slowly.

Pairs with: Edamame, Gyoza, Salt-and-pepper wings, Spicy ramen.

Storage: Make to order. The five-spirit base can be pre-batched; add Midori, fresh lemon and soda per glass.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 cocktail (~240 ml))

Calories
245
Protein
0 g
Carbs
24 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
22 g
Sodium
10 mg

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tokyo Tea taste like?

Sweet-tart and fruity — like melon candy with a citrus edge. The Midori dominates the flavour while five spirits sit underneath, which is what makes it sneaky.

Can I make it without Midori?

Midori is what gives the drink its name, colour and flavour. Any melon liqueur works; without one you've essentially made a different Long Island variant.

Why no simple syrup?

Midori is already very sweet, so it does the sweetening. Adding syrup on top would make it cloying.

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Further reading