Long Island Iced Tea

A potent cocktail that combines five different spirits with cola, creating a drink that looks like iced tea but packs a serious punch.

Preparation Time

  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Total: 5 mins

Ingredients

  • 15ml vodka
  • 15ml white rum
  • 15ml silver tequila
  • 15ml gin
  • 15ml triple sec (or Cointreau)
  • 15ml lemon juice
  • Cola to top
  • Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker
  2. Add ice to the shaker and shake well
  3. Fill a Collins glass with ice
  4. Strain the cocktail mix into the glass, filling about 4/5th full
  5. Top off with cola
  6. Garnish with a lemon wedge
  7. Serve with a straw

Notes

  • Keep total alcohol content to 75ml per glass
  • Use cola that’s not too sweet (Pepsi works well)
  • Fresh lemon juice is preferred over bottled
  • Serve in a Collins glass for proper presentation
  • Can adjust spirit proportions to taste, maintaining total volume
  • Drink responsibly - this cocktail is very strong!

History

The Long Island Iced Tea has multiple origin stories:

  • One credits Charles Bishop, a 1930s Tennessee moonshiner
  • Another attributes it to Robert Bott, a 1970s Long Island bartender
  • T.G.I. Friday’s also claims creation of the drink
  • Most likely, Bishop created an early version, Bott refined and named it, and the restaurant popularized it