We Asked A Bartender How To Make A Long Island Iced Tea Taste Expensive

Long Island iced tea snags a place on many a bar menu, and for good reason. It's a universally loved cocktail with plenty of boozy flavors, carrying an uncomplicated air of simplicity. In fact, a mixture so basic practically begs for an occasional bit of innovation. With that in mind, we reached out to a expert on the topic, Mixologist Julie Reiner, who recently mixed up mocktails for a Nature Made x Tenspace pop-up inspired by Nature Made vitamins.

In particular, Reiner provided some input on making a Long Island iced tea taste expensive, raising it to the level of a high-quality cocktail. As expected, she acknowledged that this cocktail "is what it is," calling it a kitchen sink kind of drink with "everything in it." Given that the panoply of core ingredients rarely changes (vodka, gin, tequila, and white rum spirits, plus lemon juice, triple sec, simple syrup, and cola), then raising the quality often comes down to using better ingredients.

Though it's possible to employ high-end, more expensive gin or tequila, the ingredient changes don't have to be the booze itself. "I don't know that you need to necessarily splurge to make it nice," says Reiner. "I would recommend using fresh lemon juice and a sour mix if you want to actually make it taste better." Other ways to fancy up a Long Island iced tea involve presentation and adding some spice to the equation.

So, is it really worth using pricier liquors in a Long Island iced tea? Given the large amount of alcohol poured into a single glass, already masked somewhat by cola and lemon juice, you're unlikely to notice a slight upgrade in individual spirits. "I think there are many other things that you could drink that would be a much better drinking experience," explains Julie Reiner.

For example, if you're having a themed party with Long Island iced tea, some garnishes could make it a little more fun and fancy. "If that's the theme of your party ... you could use other garnishes to make it more colorful," she says. "Usually, a Long Island iced tea just has a lemon wedge on it. So you could put a lemon wheel or a blood orange wheel." It's also possible to add a splash of color with various colored straws. 

Then there's the cozy seasonal twists that add pizzazz to a Long Island iced tea, like using spiced rum in place of ordinary versions. There are no rules with cocktails, according to Reiner, who suggests trying ginger ale or replacing the triple sec with blue Curacao, which also changes the color equation. In the end, experimenting presents endless options. "There's so much in [a Long Island Iced Tea] that it is tough to mess it up," she notes. For more ideas on making this cocktail at home, check out our 15 ways to upgrade your Long Island iced tea or take a tropical twist with Hawaiian Iced Tea.