The Long Island Iced Tea cocktail became enormously popular in the 1980s and is still instantly recognisable as a much-loved classic cocktail today. Here at Craft Gin Club, we love this gorgeous mix of gin, vodka, rum, tequila, Cointreau and cola, especially as the history of this heady cocktail is full of mystery and intrigue!

In this feature we are looking into the history of the Long Island Iced Tea, its origins, Long Island Iced Tea ingredients and, best of all, we’ll be sharing our favourite Long Island Iced Tea recipe with you so that you can give it a go at home. Scroll down to reveal all!

Where did Long Island Iced Tea come from?

The origins of the Long Island Iced Tea are less obvious than they may seem. Whether it was invented in Long Island, just outside of New York City, or Long Island, Tennessee, is a hotly debated issue among cocktail historians.

Many pundits think the most plausible story is that of Robert "Rosebud" Butt, a bartender who claims to have invented the Long Island Iced Tea in the 1970s when competing in a contest to create a new mixed drink with triple sec while he worked on Long Island, New York.

Does a Long Island Iced Tea have any iced tea in it?

The Long Island Iced Tea cocktail recipe does not traditionally include any iced tea at all.

The cocktail is made with a dazzling array of spirits that are combined with cola, which gives the drink the same hue as American iced tea, and thus inspired the name “Long Island Iced Tea”.

Why is Long Island Iced Tea so strong?

Long Island Iced Tea is so strong because it is made with five different strong spirits: vodka, gin, rum, Cointreau (or another triple sec) and tequila.

Each one of these drinks normally has an ABV of around 40%. So, yes, Long Island Iced Teas can get you drunk! We recommend sipping slowly (responsibly) on a warm spring or summer evening.

Which gin Is best for a Long Island Iced Tea?

For a Long Island Iced Tea, we love to use TŌSH Gin. Its beautiful, wonderfully complex mix of floral and citrus notes are a great complement to the vibrant tequila and citrusy triple sec in this cocktail, and its spice tones are a marvellous partner to the sweet cola and fragrant rum.

The perfect Long Island Iced Tea recipe:

Long Island Iced Tea ingredients:

10ml TŌSH Gin
10ml vodka
10ml rum
10ml tequila
10ml Cointreau
10ml simple syrup
10ml lemon juice
15ml lime juice
Cola, to top up
Lemon wedge and maraschino cherry, to garnish

Fill a highball glass with ice and add your ingredients one by one. Stir gently to combine, then garnish and give it a go! Long Island Iced Teas are very boozy, so please enjoy them responsibly.