Long Island Iced Tea

A deceptively easygoing highball that hides five base spirits — vodka, tequila, white rum, gin, and orange liqueur — under a splash of cola that lends it the amber color and the name, since there's no tea in it at all. Bright lemon and a touch of sugar keep it drinkable despite its formidable strength. Its origin is contested: bartender Robert "Rosebud" Butt claimed it for a 1972 triple-sec contest at Long Island's Oak Beach Inn, while a competing legend traces a different Prohibition-era version to "Old Man Bishop" in Kingsport, Tennessee.

HighballClassicCarbonated

Ingredients

  • 0.5 ozVodka
  • 0.5 ozTequila Blanco
  • 0.5 ozWhite Rum
  • 0.5 ozGin
  • 0.5 ozCointreau
  • 0.75 ozLemon Juice
  • 0.75 ozSimple Syrup
  • Cola(to top)

Garnish: Lemon Wheel

Preparation

built · Highball · Cubed

  1. 1.

    build

    Fill a highball glass with cubed ice.

  2. 2.

    add

    Add the vodka, tequila, white rum, gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and simple syrup directly to the glass.

  3. 3.

    top

    Top with cola until the drink takes on its signature amber, iced-tea hue.

  4. 4.

    stir

    Stir gently to combine.

  5. 5.

    garnish

    Garnish with a lemon wheel or slice (optional).

Flavor Profile

citrus
34%
fizz
30%
sweet
25%
dilution
19%
heat
19%
fruity
17%
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