• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dishes Delish
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
    • Shop | Kitchen Tools
    • Free Downloads Delish
  • About
    • About Elaine Benoit
    • About Christopher Benoit
    • Website Terms and Conditions
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Cocktail » Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail

    Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail

    Last updated on October 22, 2020. Originally posted on October 3, 2019 By Elaine 18 Comments

    6.7K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Long Island Iced Tea for Pinterest 2
    Long Island Iced Tea for Pinterest 3
    Long Island Iced Tea for Pinterest 4
    Long Island Iced Tea for Pinterest

    Warning, Warning! The Long Island iced tea cocktail recipe is delicious, refreshing, smooth and goes down pretty easily so you have to be careful as it is also very potent.

    Wider glass in front filled with the cocktail in front of the collins glass with lemon wedges and stirrers in them

    There are 5 different spirits in the Long Island iced tea cocktail, but the added sweet & sour mix and cola make you forget the alcohol content and sling it back like a thirsty sailor.

    This is truly a one and done cocktail. Meaning you have one and you are done for the night. Or maybe a two and done. Do I hear three?

    No. Don’t do it. It’s not worth the hangover.

    One Long Island iced tea cocktail has 4 ½ ounces of booze in it. A martini has 4 to 4 ½ depending how you make it. So it shouldn’t surprise you that both cocktails are on the list of 10 most alcoholic drinks in the world.

    The history of the drink

    I read a pretty amusing post about when the LIIT was invented. It says that a similar drink called “Old Man Bishop” was concocted in the 1920’s when liquor was scarce so a cocktail needed to pack a punch.

    Another guy named Bob Butt (I kid you not) claims ownership of inventing The Long Island iced tea cocktail in 1972.

    I wonder what the truth is. All I know is that people still order this cocktail in bars and I’ve made many over the years.

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click the link and buy something. You can read my disclosure here.

    Helpful tips

    • You can use either gold rum or white rum in this drink, but don’t use dark rum as it is too dark and will not reproduce the color of iced tea.
    • Although I’m always going on and on about using good quality alcohol, you don’t need to use premium ingredients in this drink as it is balanced and you can not taste the individual spirits.
    • Wash your citrus before using. This is especially important if you are placing a wedge in the cocktail.
    • If you are washing a single piece of citrus, use a natural, unscented hand soap, squirt some in your hand and rub over the fruit.  Next, run cold water to rinse the fruit as you use a vegetable brush on the skin.
    • If using a lot of citrus, place them in a bowl with three cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, remove the fruit and run them under cold water, using the brush to scrub the skin.
    • The homemade sweet and sour is made with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. I like a 2:1 ratio (two parts sour to one part sweet). It is my belief that most sweet and sour mixes are too sweet. I say, try it this way to see what you think and if you find it not sweet enough, add simple syrup in .5 ounce increments.
    • You don’t need to measure the Coca Cola, I did for the purpose of this recipe, but you can just pour it into the glasses. Leave enough room to add the lemon wedges.

    How to make the Long Island iced tea cocktail

    Pre-step

    Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and get a measuring glass and your glassware. I chose a flared tall glass and a Tom Collins glass. Cut two lemon wedges.

    After you measure out the ingredients, pour into cocktail shaker.

    Step one

    Gather the ingredients – tequila, gin, gold rum, vodka, triple sec, lemon, simple syrup and Coca-Cola.

    Tequila, vodka, gin, rum, triple sec, lemon and soda on a table

    Step two

    Measure 2 ounces tequila. (A)

    Step three

    Measure 2 ounces gin. (B)

    Tequila and gin measured with the bottles int he background

    Step four

    Measure 2 ounces gold rum. (C)

    Step five

    Measure 2 ounces vodka. (D)

    Gold rum and vodka measured out with the bottles and shaker in the background

    Step six

    Measure 2 ounces lemon juice. (E)

    Step seven

    Measure 1 ounce triple sec. (F)

    Lemon juice and triple sec measured out with the lemon and bottle in the background

    Step eight

    Measure 1 ounce simple syrup. I didn’t take a photo of it for some reason. Maybe all the booze got to my head even though I hadn’t drunk any yet.

    Step nine

    Add more ice to the two glasses, cap the shaker, shake for 15 seconds and divide between the two glasses. Get the Cola and lemon wedges.

    Everything but the coca cola poured in the glasses with a few lemon wedges in a white dish

    Step ten

    Fill the glass up with the Coca Cola, which usually equates 1 – 1.5 ounces per drink.

    Two straight glasses filled with the potent amber cocktail with two stirrers and lemon garnishes in the background

    Squeeze the juice out of each lemon wedge into the cocktails. One per drink.

    Let’s look at the vertical view.

    Vertical view of the wider glass filled with the potent cocktail with a lemon wedge and stirrer

    Remember, that this is a dangerous drink because, if well blended, it does taste like iced tea, so you won’t feel how strong it is going down!

    I hope you enjoyed this Long Island iced tea cocktail recipe!

    Other strong cocktails

    • Vodka martini
    • Chocolate martini
    • Bourbon Manhattan

    And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

    Collins glass with the amber cocktail in front of the wider taller glass - square

    Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail

    A delicious but potent cocktail! It has 5 liquors in it and is delicious so be careful not to sling it back like a thirsty sailor!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cocktails
    Cuisine: Cocktails
    Keyword: long island iced tea, potent cocktail
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 2 Cocktails
    Calories: 360kcal
    Author: Elaine Benoit

    Ingredients

    • 2 ounces tequila
    • 2 ounces gin
    • 2 ounces dark or gold rum
    • 2 ounces vodka
    • 2 ounces lemon juice
    • 1 ounce triple sec
    • 1 ounce simple syrup
    • 1 ounce Coca Cola or other cola (1 – 1.5 ounces) (No need to measure it, just pour it in)

    Garnish

    • 2 lemon wedges

    Instructions

    • Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice
    • Add all the ingredients except for the Coca Cola
    • Add more ice to the glassware. Cap the shaker and shake for 15 seconds. Strain and divide between the glasses
    • Pour Coca Cola in each glass, leaving enough room for a lemon wedge
    • Squeeze in the juice from the wedges in each glass. One wedge per glass
    • Stir
    • Sip
    • Smile
    • Enjoy

    Equipment

    cocktail shaker
    jigger
    large glassware (10 ounces or bigger)
    See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

    Notes

    Helpful Tips
    • You can use either gold rum or white rum in this drink, but don’t use dark rum as it is too dark and will not reproduce the color of iced tea.
    • Although I’m always going on and on about using good quality alcohol, you don’t need to use premium ingredients in this drink as it is balanced and you can not taste the individual spirits.
    • Wash your citrus before using. This is especially important if you are placing a wedge in the cocktail.
    • If you are washing a single piece of citrus, use a natural, unscented hand soap, squirt some in your hand and rub over the fruit.  Next, run cold water to rinse the fruit as you use a vegetable brush on the skin.
    • If using a lot of citrus, place them in a bowl with three cups of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. After 10 minutes, remove the fruit and run them under cold water, using the brush to scrub the skin.
    • The homemade sweet and sour is made with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. I like a 2:1 ratio (two parts sour to one part sweet). It is my belief that most sweet and sour mixes are too sweet. I say, try it this way to see what you think and if you find it not sweet enough, add simple syrup in .5 ounce increments.
    • You don’t need to measure the Coca Cola, I did for the purpose of this recipe, but you can just pour it into the glasses. Leave enough room to add the lemon wedges.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cocktail | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
    Get new recipes in your inbox!Click here! to sign up for our newsletter

    Originally published in February of 2017.

    « Bucatini Carbonara
    Easy Pumpkin Muffins »
    6.7K shares

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you,  if you click the link and buy. You can read my disclosure here.

    Caring is Sharing

    Liked this recipe?  Pin it for later, share it on Facebook, tweet about it and Yum it to Yummly!  I greatly appreciate it!!  Tag me @dishesdelish!!

    If you like my recipes!  How about following me on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook I would love to connect with you!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maria @ kitchenathoskins

      February 04, 2017 at 10:32 pm

      That is one delicious looking drink!! The story….recipe….pictures….amazing!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 05, 2017 at 1:04 pm

        Thank you so much Maria! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Christopher

      August 26, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      I know how dangerous these cocktails are. Don’t ask me how, my lips are sealed.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 03, 2019 at 12:32 pm

        Haha! Thanks Christopher!

        Reply
    3. Deanne

      October 03, 2019 at 4:16 pm

      Oooh, I haven’t had one of these in a while – it’s time to make your recipe! Thanks for posting, I think I can tackle this drink!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 03, 2019 at 4:39 pm

        Yay! I hope you enjoy it when you make it. It was my sister’s favorite! Thanks for your comment Deanne.

        Reply
    4. Krissy Allori

      October 03, 2019 at 5:21 pm

      This is one of my favorite cocktails. Yummy and it packs a punch.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 04, 2019 at 9:54 am

        It surely does Krissy! Thanks 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jamie

      October 03, 2019 at 5:25 pm

      This is making me thirsty! I love a good potent drink every now and then! 😀

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 04, 2019 at 9:54 am

        Hehe. Me too, Jamie. Thanks 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sapana

      October 03, 2019 at 6:18 pm

      I can’t wait to make this for my friends this weekend – thank you!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 04, 2019 at 9:56 am

        Thanks Sapana! Hope you and your friends enjoy it!

        Reply
    7. Kelly Anthony

      October 03, 2019 at 7:01 pm

      So I’m embarrassed to admit this but I’ve never had a long island iced tea. I also had no idea that there are 5 liquors in this drink. One and done will be my limit for sure.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 04, 2019 at 9:57 am

        Hehe. Me too, Kelly. And no need to be embarrassed, I think being a bartender has put it in the forefront of my mind.

        Reply
    8. Patty

      October 04, 2019 at 4:36 am

      One of a kind cocktail, I’m having guests Saturday night, will mix some for them and see what happens!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 04, 2019 at 9:58 am

        Thanks Patty. Be careful as this drink goes down easily.

        Reply
    9. kathleen

      April 22, 2020 at 7:55 pm

      My husband loves a good long island iced tea. we’ve tried several recipes and they are never quite right. i made this one for him and he said this is the best one we’ve made yet. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 23, 2020 at 2:19 pm

        Kathleen, you just made my day! I’m so glad you took the time to tell me that your hubby enjoyed it! 🙂 Cheers!

        Reply

    Tell me what you think Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Elaine Benoit headshot

    Hi, I'm Elaine! I'm so glad you stopped by. Here you will find lots of tasty cocktails, comforting food and inspiration for your next meal. I LOVE chocolate, almost all foods, blogging, photography and spending time with my hubby!

    More about me →

    Summer Food

    • Lobster Casserole | Lobster Dip
    • Black Bean Salad with Corn
    • Bourbon Baby Back Ribs | Slow Cooker
    • Cherry Rhubarb Crisp

    Summer Drinks

    • Rum Swizzle Cocktail
    • New York Sour Cocktail
    • Mai Tai Cocktail | Merry Merry
    • Classic Daiquiri Cocktail | Simple Elegance

    Footer

    As Seen In

    Brand logos banner

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Terms & Conditions

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Dishes Delish

    6719 shares