Long Island Iced Tea
Five spirits in glorious harmony with fresh lemon and a sweet splash of cola: strong, but dangerously easy to drink.
Ingredients
- Vodka15 ml
- Gin15 ml
- White rum15 ml
- Blanco tequila15 ml
- Triple sec15 ml
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed22.5 ml
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)15 ml
- Cola, chilledtop up
- Lemon, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Fill a shaker halfway with ice cubes.
- Add the vodka, gin, white rum, tequila, triple sec, lemon juice and simple syrup.
- Shake hard for 10–15 seconds, until the shaker is frosty on the outside.
- Strain into a highball or Collins glass filled with fresh ice.
- Top up with chilled cola to taste and to fit the size of the glass.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge or twist and serve at once.
Robert "Rosebud" Butt, Oak Beach Inn, Long Island, 1972
About this drink
The Long Island Iced Tea is said to have emerged in 1972 at the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island, where bartender Robert "Rosebud" Butt had to come up with something new for a cocktail competition. The name comes solely from the drink's tea-coloured look; there is not a drop of tea in the glass. With five different spirits it is far stronger than it tastes, so treat it with respect.
