Long Island Iced Tea

This recipe lessens the "sour" aspect of this drink and emphasizes the Cola mixture with the alcohol.


One summer while nursing a poorly-made Long Island Iced Tea, my father and I bemoaned the fact it was getting more and more difficult to order a good one. Somewhere along a bartender's guideline, they morphed more into a tart, even sour, lemonade as less and less cola was added. Our solutions was to order a cola and then to add to it. 


My version below uses lots of ice and cola. I've always prepared it with cola sweetened from Splenda, but only because I normally don't drink sugared soft drinks. It will make a good 3-4 glasses and is perfect on a hot, summer's day. Or a festive winter's one . . . CHEERS!


Note: 1 1/2  ounce is equal to one "jigger." A "shot" equals one ounce.

• 4 cups ice, preferably store-bought, crystal ice and more for serving
• 1 jigger rum
• 1 jigger vodka
• 1 jigger gin
• 2 jiggers Triple Sec
• 1/2 jigger Tequila
• Juice from 1/2 lemon, save the lemon itself
• 1 cup Coke or Diet Coke, preferably Diet Coke made from Splenda

Mix all of the above ingredients in a large pitcher. To a large, tall glass, add one ounce of Coke or Diet Coke and ice. Add one lemon wedge and fill with above mixture.

As ice melts in the pitcher, add more ice.