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WhatDrink

Cocktails

Long Island Iced Tea

Long Island Iced Tea is a strong, crowd-pleasing cocktail with a chilled cola-citrus profile and a deceptively easy-drinking style. It works best when the drink should feel bold, casual and familiar.

Reviewed by How we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction
Cocktailalcoholic42.5% ABV6 ingredients

At a Glance

136 kcalCalories
42.5%ABV
0.1gSugar
0.1gCarbs
1.44Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Easybuilt drink

Why: 6 ingredients

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

How to Make It

  1. Mix all contents in a Highball glass and sitr gently.
  2. Add dash of Coca-Cola for the coloring and garnish with lemon or lime twist.Garnish

Why it works

Why the Long Island Iced Tea works

The drink works by using citrus and cola to tie several clear spirits together. Its balance depends on restraint: too much spirit or sweetness can make it harsh or heavy.

How to Serve

Glass
Highball Glass

Serving tips

Serving tips

Serve it tall, cold and well diluted with ice. Because it can be stronger than it tastes, smaller serves and clear ABV notes help users choose responsibly.

Taste

What does a Long Island Iced Tea taste like?

A Long Island Iced Tea is strong, sweet-tart and cola-topped. It has several spirits, but the citrus, sweetener and cola usually make it taste smoother than its strength suggests.

Primary flavours

CitrusColaSparkling

Supporting notes

AgaveBotanicalEarthyHerbalJuniper

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong
BodyLight – Full
SweetnessDry – Sweet
AcidityFlat – Crisp
FruitinessEarthy – Fruity
BoldnessDelicate – Bold
  • High ABV
  • Dry finish
  • Full-bodied

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

Similar styles

Try this if you like strong long drinks

Choose the Long Island Iced Tea when you want a tall drink that tastes smoother than its ingredient list suggests. It is best treated as a strong cocktail, not a casual soft drink.

When to serve

  • SummerSuggested from its citrus and sparkling notes.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-FreeVeganVegetarian

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Vodka1/2 oz

GinWorks, but changes the drink
How much to use
Use the same volume; expect more juniper and herbal aroma.
What changes
Gin can replace vodka when a more botanical result is acceptable.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Tequila1/2 oz

MezcalWorks, but changes the drink
How much to use
Use the same amount; consider reducing smoky or bitter ingredients if the drink becomes intense.
What changes
Mezcal can replace tequila when a smokier, earthier agave profile is welcome.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Light Rum1/2 oz

Aged RumKnown variation
How much to use
Use the same amount; reduce rich sweeteners only if the drink becomes too heavy.
What changes
Aged rum can replace light rum when a fuller, oakier variation is acceptable.
Dark RumWorks, but changes the drink
How much to use
Use the same amount; reduce rich sweeteners if the result becomes too heavy.
What changes
Dark rum can replace light rum when a deeper, heavier rum profile is welcome.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Gin1/2 oz

VodkaKnown variation
How much to use
Use the same volume; expect less juniper and botanical aroma.
What changes
Vodka can replace gin when you want a cleaner, less botanical drink, but it usually changes the cocktail identity.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Coca-Cola1 dash

ColaGood swap
How much to use
Use the same amount.
What changes
Cola is usually a close substitute for Coca-Cola in mixed drinks.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Lemon PeelTwist of

Lemon TwistGood swap
How much to use
Use a similar-sized twist.
What changes
A lemon twist is usually a close substitute for lemon peel.
Vegan-compatibleVegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.

Preference filters use current ingredient, nutrition and diet evidence. They are not medical advice, and this database contract does not store user selections.

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Last updated

Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a Long Island Iced Tea at home?
Yes. The Long Island Iced Tea uses 6 ingredients, making it more involved to prepare at home. You will need a Highball Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.