Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Long Island Iced Tea

Five white spirits, lemon and a splash of cola for color — it looks like iced tea and drinks like trouble. The ultimate party long drink.

Preparation~3 minEasyStrengthStrongabout 23% ABVMethodBuilt in glass10 guided stepsIngredients7Tall (highball) glass

Highball

In the glassVodka · Gin · White rum · Tequila (blanco) · Triple sec / Cointreau · +2 more

See exact amounts

Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear highball glass with tall straight sides and a substantial base. — Serving glassHighball glass

Set up before you pour

Use a highball glass.

The tall, straight shape leaves room for plenty of ice and mixer while keeping a long drink lively.

Standard size: 350 ml11¾ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a Collins glass or any tall, straight-sided tumbler.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your tall (highball) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Vodka15 ml
Gin15 ml
White rum15 ml
Tequila (blanco)15 ml
Triple sec / Cointreau15 ml
Cola30 ml
Fresh lemon juice25 ml

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the glass with ice
02
Measure and pour
Pour 15 ml vodka
- Vodka
03
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml gin
- Gin
04
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml white rum
- White rum
05
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml tequila
- Tequila (blanco)
06
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml triple sec / cointreau
- Triple sec / Cointreau
07
Measure and pour
Add 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- Fresh lemon juice
08
Top gently
Top with 30 ml cola
- Cola
09
Stir around the ice
Stir gently to combine
10
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a lemon slice

Know your drink

About the Long Island Iced Tea

A copper mug, Espresso Martini and clear vodka highball against evening city lights.

Rosebud's contest entry

Robert Butt, known behind the bar as Rosebud, says he came up with this at the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island in 1972, for a contest that required triple sec. A rival claim puts it in a Tennessee community also called Long Island during Prohibition, attached to a bootlegger named Bishop. Nobody has produced anything to support that one, and Butt has been telling his version publicly for decades.

Swap the cola for cranberry juice and it becomes a Long Beach. Melon liqueur in place of the triple sec makes a Tokyo Tea, blue curaçao makes an Adios, and there are a dozen more named for whatever color they land on. All of them keep the same skeleton: five half-ounce pours of white spirit standing in for one base, then lemon and sugar on top.

Common questions

Long Island Iced Tea FAQ

Is there any tea in a Long Island iced tea?

None — the name comes from the look: the cola float over the citrus-and-spirit base makes it a dead ringer for iced tea. That disguise, plus roughly four shots of spirit per glass, built its reputation. Treat it with respect.

Why does my Long Island taste harsh?

Balance and quality. Each spirit is only 15 ml, so nothing needs to be premium — but everything must be drinkable, the lemon fresh, and the cola a FLOAT (poured last, gently) rather than half the glass. Made carefully, it’s dangerously smooth.

What ingredients are in a Long Island Iced Tea?

A classic Long Island Iced Tea calls for 15 ml (0.5 oz) Vodka, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Gin, 15 ml (0.5 oz) White rum, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Tequila, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Triple sec / Cointreau, 25 ml (0.75 oz) Fresh lemon juice, 30 ml (1 oz) Cola. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Long Island Iced Tea?

A standard Long Island Iced Tea is roughly 23% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it spirit-forward — closer to a Martini than to a beer, so sip it slowly.

Is a Long Island Iced Tea shaken or stirred?

A Long Island Iced Tea is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.

What glass do you serve a Long Island Iced Tea in?

Serve a Long Island Iced Tea in a highball (tall) glass, over fresh ice cubes.

How many calories are in a Long Island Iced Tea?

One Long Island Iced Tea has approximately 200 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique