Long Island Iced Tea (Classic Recipe!)

Try this chic Long Island Iced Tea recipe! Here are all the ingredients you need and the best way to prepare this classic cocktail.

Some cocktails have strong images, and Long Island Iced Tea is one of them: alcoholic, subtle, and sweet. But have you tried it? classic version of this drink? Mixed as intended, this drink will blow your mind. Ditch the sour and triple sec mix in favor of fresh citrus and premium spirits. One sip and it’s sparkling, sweet, nuanced and sophisticated. It is a Elegant Long Island Iced Tea: and we’ll show you exactly how to do it!

Long Island iced tea ingredients

The Long Island Iced Tea is a highball cocktail made with 5 liqueurs: vodka, tequila, rum, gin and orange liqueur. When mixed with cola, the drink has a brown color like iced tea (that’s where the similarities end). The modern version of this cocktail was most likely invented in 1972 by a bartender from Long Island, New York: hence the name.

The LIIT caught on and became so popular that it made it onto the International Bartender Association’s official IBA cocktail list, earning it an official definition. The ingredients of Long Island Iced Tea are:

• vodka
• tequila
• white rum
• gin
• Cointreau
• lemon juice
• cola

Why does she do that better Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

We promise this LIIT has nothing to do with the sugary, artificial taste you might be used to. It is a chic Long Island Iced Tea Recipe: Full of bright citrus flavors. This is the best way:

• Use real lemon, not an acid mixture. This is true! Don’t even think about using a store-bought acidic mix here. Real citrus fruits bring the best savory flavor.
• Use Cointreau, not Triple Sec. Cointreau is an orange liqueur made in France with an orange scent flavor. It’s more challenging than your average triple sec.
• Use good alcohol. Of course, you can use inferior alcohol if that’s all you have. But the better the alcohol, the better the drink!

How to Make Long Island Iced Tea

You can build your Long Island Ice Tea in the glass: no need to screw up a shaker or spend time shaking! It’s just a matter of measuring out each liquor: which, moreover, takes a few minutes since the components are numerous! Here’s everything you need to do to prepare this easy drink:

• stir: Pour the components into a highball glass. Add ice and stir.
• Garnish: Add a slice of lemon if you like.

Remember: This drink contains 2.5 ounces of alcohol, so it’s not as wet as you think! It has an ABV similar to many of our 300+ cocktails, especially other highball cocktails.

Boost it with clear ice

Would you like to prepare a wonderful cocktail? For the fanciest Long Island iced tea, you’ll want to make a batch of clear ice! Clear Ice is a crystal clear homemade ice cream you can make at home: it’s not cloudy like regular ice cream. You can make it and cut it into organic shapes in just 24 hours and then keep it in the freezer for all your cocktail recipes. See How to Make Clear Ice for more information.

Some alternative ideas

What if you don’t have the full liquor list handy but still want to do a LIIT? Here are some replacement ideas:

• Vodka, tequila or gin: Leave A of these and double that of the other liqueurs. For example, if you don’t have gin, double the amount of tequila. But try to have at least 3 of the 4 main liqueurs.
• white rum: Use a different type of rum (old or dark) if you don’t have a white on hand. Aged adds a touch of sophistication with hints of oak and vanilla. Or you can omit it and double up on one of the other liqueurs.
• Cointreau: Use a Cointreau substitute such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Orange Curaçao.

Varieties of Long Island Iced Tea

This famous cocktail recipe has spawned many variations over the years. Here are some variations on the classic using different spirits and blenders:

Long Island Iced Tea is one of the most famous highball cocktails, a style of cocktail that includes a higher percentage of mixed drinks such as fruit juice, soda water or ginger ale. Here are some other classics to try: