Its existence seems to be a strange product of a particular time and place-specifically Long Island, in the 1970s. The excellent book Cocktail Codex generously assesses it as a variation of a Sidecar, which is to say, a spirit base with citrus tartness and orange liqueur. However, the tool is distinct from the user, so what is the Long Island Iced Tea? It is a tall drink with a base spirit in four parts- vodka, gin, rum and tequila, “everything white at the bartenders station,” according to the inventor Bob “Rosebud” Butt-with orange liqueur, a splash of sour mix and topped with coke. This is why bartenders tend to not like them-it’s not because they’re difficult to make, or even some kind of pretentious dismissal of the “flavor profile.” It is because we have a legal responsibility to make sure no one gets too drunk, so if someone says “give me a Long Island” (or god forbid, a “Strong Island”), what we hear is “there’s a decent chance that pretty soon, I’m going to become a problem for you.” acknowledges that “the recipe reads more like a frat-house hazing ritual,” and Jeffrey Morgenthaler’ points out that the drink dominated the world, but also took up residence in “dorm rooms, seedy karaoke bars and overturned glasses next to some poor bastard curled up by a toilet.” There are some who earnestly enjoy it, but many more who are trying to get as drunk as possible and believe (accurately) that the Long Island Iced Tea is the quickest way to get there. It has been understood, since the ‘70s, as “one of the most famous hangover instigators the bar has ever known,” according to Punch. The 50 Best Cocktail Bars in the World, According to a New RankingĪll the same-we have to acknowledge that the Long Island Iced Tea has something of a reputation itself. The Hollywood Strikes Are Pushing Actors Back Into Restaurant Work Buffalo Trace’s Coveted Antique Collection Is Back-and We Tasted Every Expression

Long island tea