A Long Island Iced Tea on a table at EOW magazine

26 Jun Long Island Iced Tea recipe

Posted at 13:26h in Cocktails, Guides by Carl-Ditlev Schroll 0 Comments

The Long Island Iced Tea is one of the most misunderstood cocktails in the world. Many people think it is simply a strong party drink, but when properly balanced, the Long Island Iced Tea is actually a surprisingly refreshing and well structured cocktail.

Built with vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec, lemon juice, sugar, and cola, the cocktail combines several spirits into one drink without any single ingredient dominating the profile.

Even though the Long Island Iced Tea contains no actual tea, the combination of spirits and cola creates its characteristic iced tea appearance.

This is our recipe for the classic Long Island Iced Tea.

What Is a Long Island Iced Tea?

A Long Island Iced Tea is a highball cocktail made with vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola.

Even though the cocktail contains several spirits, the flavor remains surprisingly balanced when properly made. The citrus and cola tie the drink together while the spirits create depth and strength.

The cocktail is typically served over ice in a tall highball glass.

Long Island Iced Tea History

The Paper Plane cocktail was created in 2008 by bartender Sam Ross at the bar Milk & Honey in New York.

It was developed as a modern take on the Last Word, a classic cocktail known for its equal parts structure. By using bourbon as the base spirit and combining it with Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice, Ross created a cocktail that felt both approachable and complex.

The name “Paper Plane” comes from the M.I.A. song Paper Planes, which was popular at the time the drink was created.

Unlike many older classics, the Paper Plane was created in the modern cocktail revival, which is why the recipe has remained consistent. It is also recognized by the IBA, using the same equal parts formula that made it popular in the first place.

Today, the Paper Plane is considered a staple in cocktail bars around the world. It stands out as one of the best examples of how modern cocktails can achieve the same level of balance and longevity as the classics.

Why You Should Make a Long Island Iced Tea

A properly balanced Long Island Iced Tea is refreshing, citrusy, lightly sweet, and surprisingly smooth.

Even though the cocktail contains several spirits, no single ingredient should overpower the drink. The goal is balance rather than pure strength.

The cocktail also works exceptionally well for parties and social gatherings because it is easy to build and instantly recognizable.

Related Recipe

The Last Word

With Green Chartreuse, Gin, Luxardo Maraschino and Lime juice

Choosing the ingredients

Vodka:

Vodka adds structure and alcohol strength without dominating the flavor profile. We are using either 42 Below or Grey Goose vodka for this recipe.

42 Below delivers a clean and crisp profile that integrates naturally into the cocktail, while Grey Goose provides a slightly softer and rounder texture. Since the Long Island Iced Tea already contains several spirits, a clean vodka works best to maintain balance rather than adding unnecessary sharpness.

In a Paper Plane, the bourbon should be present without overpowering the drink. A balanced and approachable bourbon ensures the cocktail remains smooth and easy to drink.

Gin:

Gin adds freshness and botanical complexity to the cocktail. We are using Bombay Sapphire because its citrus forward and balanced botanical profile works exceptionally well with lemon juice and cola.

Bombay Sapphire contributes freshness without becoming too juniper heavy or overpowering the other spirits in the drink.

Tequila:

We are using Cazadores Blanco tequila because it offers a clean agave profile that integrates naturally into the cocktail.

Using a proper 100% blue agave tequila is essential in a Long Island Iced Tea. Lower quality mixto tequilas often introduce harsh alcohol notes that disturb the balance and freshness of the cocktail

White Rum:

Bacardi Carta Blanca is our preferred white rum for this recipe. It adds subtle sweetness, light vanilla notes, and body without overpowering the other ingredients.

A clean white rum works best in a Long Island Iced Tea because the goal is integration and balance rather than dominant rum flavor.

Triple Sec:

We are using Cointreau as the orange liqueur in this recipe.

Cointreau delivers bright orange oils, sweetness, and citrus complexity while maintaining a clean and dry finish. In a cocktail with many ingredients, using a high quality triple sec helps keep the drink structured and balanced rather than overly sweet.

Lemon Juice:

Fresh lemon juice is essential. It provides the acidity that balances the sweetness and bitterness in the cocktail.

Bottled lemon juice will not give the same result. It lacks brightness and will make the drink feel flat.

Simple Syrup:

We recommend making all syrups at home.

Here is our simple syrup recipe

Cola:

We recommend using a classic cola like Coca Cola or Jarritos Mexican Cola with real sugar.

The cola is not only there for color. It adds caramel notes, sweetness, and carbonation that help tie the cocktail together.

Avoid zero sugar or light colas. Artificial sweeteners often create a thinner texture and an aftertaste that disrupts the balance of the Long Island Iced Tea.

Garnish:

The classic Garnish for a Long Island Iced Tea is a lemon slice.