It’s the most misunderstood drink to ever bear the Island’s name: famous, infamous, and strong enough to knock out a sailor. Whether you think of it as a local legend or a barroom dare, the Long Island Iced Tea is as chaotic as the night you ordered your last one. Its history is full of competing claims, bar contests, and more than a few foggy memories, fitting for a cocktail that contains five kinds of liquor.
The Recipe That’s Both Brilliant and a Bad Idea
The standard Long Island Iced Tea contains a liquor cabinet’s worth of ingredients: gin, tequila, vodka, white rum, and Triple Sec, with a splash of lemon juice, sugar syrup (or gomme), and just enough cola to make it look like iced tea.
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That cola isn’t for flavor, it’s for the tea-colored disguise.
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The drink clocks in around 22% alcohol, far stronger than most cocktails.
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Its reputation? Legendary hangovers and questionable decisions.
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Among bartenders, the order is a warning sign: expect volume, chaos, and a possible call to security.
As one beverage director told Thrillist, “It’s the fastest way to get where I’m going.” Others admit that when someone orders one, they start “scanning for the nearest security guard.” In short, no one orders a Long Island Iced Tea for the taste.
The Hamptons Origin Story of Long Island Iced Tea
Most Long Islanders proudly credit Bob “Rosebud” Butt with creating the drink in 1972 at OBI East in the Hamptons. Butt says he was bartending when management held a friendly contest: take a bottle of Triple Sec and invent a new cocktail. His five-spirit creation was a hit and quickly spread across local bars.
PBS even profiled Butt and his famous invention in a 2013 episode of its “Inventors” series, where he demonstrated how to make the drink that made him a minor celebrity. For many, that seals the deal, Long Island, New York is the true home of the Long Island Iced Tea.
The Tennessee Challenge to Long Island Iced Tea
Not so fast. In the 2000s, the Kingsport, Tennessee tourism board claimed the cocktail actually originated there, decades earlier, during Prohibition. Their story credits Charlie “Old Man” Bishop, who supposedly mixed the drink on a small island called “Long Island” in the Holston River and named it after himself.
Kingsport embraced the tale for marketing and doubled down in 2019, when a cocktail showdown in Washington, D.C. pitted Tennessee’s recipe against New York’s. Tennessee’s version won the taste test, though the New York team insisted the results were rigged.
The two versions differ slightly, but the Hamptons-born mix remains far more popular, and far more dangerous to your Sunday morning.
Other Theories That Refuse to Die
Like all great Long Island legends, the drink has multiple origin stories:
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Some say it first appeared at OBI at Jones Beach, not the Hamptons.
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Others swear it was already printed in Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cookbook (1961), years before Butt’s contest.
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The acronym LIIT (for Long Island Iced Tea) has become common shorthand and an ironic warning.
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And yes, bootleggers reportedly used a similar concoction during Prohibition to disguise their liquor as “tea.”
Whichever version you believe, the result is the same: a drink that tastes innocent but hits like a freight train.
The Bartender’s Perspective on Long Island Iced Tea
To bartenders, the Long Island Iced Tea is both a classic and a curse. Former Waikiki bartender Jamie Robinson called it a “big no-no” at busy bars because of the time it takes to pour. Others warn that people who order it rarely stop at one and usually end up on the floor.
Still, it’s hard to argue with its staying power. Since rocketing to popularity in the 1970s, the Long Island Iced Tea has never left the menu. It’s an American classic with a Long Island attitude: bold, unapologetic, and just a little dangerous.
Where to Get a Legendary Long Island Iced Tea (Without Regret)
If you’re brave enough to try the real thing, here are a few local spots known for serving top-tier versions of the classic:
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The Main Event (Plainview): A sports bar with endless TV screens and a reputation for powerful pours.
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Claudio’s Tavern (Greenport): A historic waterfront institution dating back to the 1870s, with its own take on the classic.
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Prime (Huntington): Upscale dining, fireplaces, and cocktails worth dressing up for.
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Dark Horse Tavern (Farmingdale): Craft beer and cocktails collide at this lively spot on Main Street.
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Mulcahy’s Pub & Concert Hall (Wantagh): Live music, pub fare, and a version of the LIIT that can keep up with the crowd.
The Final Sip
Whether you side with Bob “Rosebud” Butt or “Old Man” Bishop, one thing’s certain: the Long Island Iced Tea is one of the most potent, and argued-over, drinks ever invented. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s pure Long Island: over-the-top, impossible to ignore, and guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.
