SHATLER’s Cocktails - Long Island Iced Tea

Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island Iced Tea is a long drink originally mixed with equal parts of five different kinds of high-proof and colourless spirits. According to the International Bartenders Association(IBA) 1.5cl of vodka, gin, white rum, tequila and triple sec curaçao are mixed in a long drink glass with ice. The mix is filled up with a sip of coke, 2.5cl of fresh lime juice and 3cl of Gomme syrup – a syrup used in a lot of mixed drinks, that prevents sugars from crystallizing. The colour of the Long Island Iced Tea reminds of iced tea, which is how the cocktail got the name. Actual iced tea is not included in the original recipe.

Legends about the creation of the Long Island Iced Tea from the prohibition to the bored housewife

The history of origins of the Long Island Iced Tea is – like a lot of other cocktails histories of origins -controversial. One legend places the creation of the drink at the time of the prohibition in the USA between 1919 and 1933, back when the production, transport and sale of liquors were prohibited throughout the country. The explanation: The name and appearance of the Long Island Iced Tea would hide the high alcoholic contents of the drink. The same historic background applies to another story about the invention of the cocktail that credits the creation to a rich and bored housewife, who lived on Long Island in the State of New York. Because she didn’t want her husband to notice her drinking, she only took a little bit of every spirit when she made herself a drink at the house bar. To hide the smell of the alcohol, she used coke.

The Long Island Iced Tea becomes famous in the 1970s

In spite of the stories about the creation of the cocktail placing the time of recognition of the Long Island Iced Tea in the first half of the 20^th century, the long drink became popular in the 1970s. The cocktail’s creation often also is credited to the bartender Robert C. Butt called “Rosebud”, who worked at the “Oak Beach Inn” night club on Long Island. Others say the drink was invented by bartenders serving drinks at the restaurant “Leonard’s” in Great Neck on Long Island. According to this story, the young bartenders noticed, that especially the younger guests at wedding receptions often did not enjoy the Whisky Sours they served them. They then started serving them their special Leonard’s Tea instead.

Long Island Iced Tea – the New York cocktail

Even though the correct origin of the Long Island Iced Tea is uncertain, it is safe to assume that the drink was invented in the USA. One indicator for this assumption is the spelling of the cocktails name itself: Only in America ice tea is also spelled as iced tea. The name is also the reason why the drink is strongly connected to the metropolis New York.

Numerous variations of the long drink

The number of variations of this cocktail is high. Popular creations are the Texas Tea, which adds a whiskey to the classic mix of spirits, or the Long Beach Iced Tea using cranberry juice instead of coke. The Beverlyhills Iced Tea also replaces the coke and uses champagne instead. Red Bull is used in the Long Island Energy. Other variations often leave out one of the spirits or replace the fresh lemon juice and syrup with liqueurs and lemonade like juices.

The SHATLER’s Long Island Iced Tea – a new interpretation of the classic cocktail

The SHATLER’s Long Island Iced Tea also varies from the original recipe a little bit. Our Long Island Iced Tea goes without the triple sec curaçao and mixes gin, rum, tequila and vodka with orange liqueur and essences of tea. A strong and refreshing taste and a moderate alcoholic content are the result and make this cocktail a variation, that can definitely keep up with the original.

Our Tip

In contrast to all the ingredients needed to mix this cocktail, the decoration for this drink is very simple: Just pin a slice of lime, lemon or orange on the rim of the glass and enjoy the New York bar feeling!