For annual holiday pop-up, Sippin’ Santa, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry adapted this tropical Midori cocktail recipe from the 1978 USBG prize-winning Universe Cocktail by Valerio “Bobby” Batugo. The Filipino bartender is credited with being the first to bring Midori and Amaretto di Saronno to the States. “After decades in cocktail jail, Midori is back, and I was struck by Valerio’s mix of pistachio and melon liqueurs, which sounded like an ingenious pairing,” Berry explains. However, since pistachio liqueur isn’t readily available, he experimented with other nut liqueurs until finally deciding walnut was the best. And to give the cocktail “a touch of winter spice,” Berry added just a dash of aquavit.
Tropical Midori Cocktail: Sharkey’s First Christmas
