TOKYO ICED TEA COCKTAIL RECIPE
The Tokyo Iced Tea is a delightful cocktail that's as thrilling as the city it's named after. Known also as a Japanese Iced Tea, it's an exciting cousin to the Long Island Iced Tea, with a bright, green twist that stands it apart.
Ingredients
- ½ Ounce Vodka
- ½ Ounce Gin
- ½ Ounce White Rum
- ½ Ounce Tequila
- ½ Ounce Triple Sec
- 1 Ounce Melon Liqueur (Midori)
- 1 Ounce Lemon Juice
- 1 Ounce Lemon-Lime Soda (Sprite)
- 1 Lemon Slice (garnish)
- 1 Maraschino Cherry (garnish)
Method
- Fill a tall glass with ice.
- Add vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, Midori, and lemon juice into the glass.
- Stir well to mix.
- Top up the glass with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and cherry.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Opt for fresh lemon juice over packaged for a brighter, more refreshing taste.
Some people prefer swapping out the lemon juice and lemon-lime soda for a combination of sweet-and-sour mix and club soda. Both provide the sweetness and sourness for the drink, so see which one works best for you.
If you're using sweet-and-sour mix, you can make your own by combining equal parts of lemon juice and simple syrup.
Experiment with different garnishes like lime slices or mint leaves for a personal touch.
Tokyo Iced Tea Cocktail Ingredients
The Tokyo Iced Tea is a dazzling green cocktail packed with a powerful punch. Its ingredients are: vodka, gin, tequila, white rum, triple sec, melon liqueur, lemon juice, and lemon-lime soda. Its unique flavor is the result of a balance between potent spirits and refreshing citrus. The idea of the spirits in this drink is to let the sweet and sour flavors shine, so it's best to go for neutral flavors in your spirits.
Best Vodka For A Tokyo Iced Tea
A smooth, clean vodka works best in this drink, like Absolut Vodka, that lets the other flavors shine through without overpowering them. Its neutral taste complements the Midori and citrus flavors.
Best Rum For A Tokyo Iced Tea
For rum, Bacardi Superior is recommended. It's light, crisp, and subtly sweet, pairing well with the other ingredients and adding a hint of tropical warmth.
Best Tequila For A Tokyo Iced Tea
Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila works great. It's smooth, slightly sweet, and has a clean finish that enhances the drink's crispness.
Best Gin For A Tokyo Iced Tea
Bombay Sapphire's mild, fresh profile and slight spiciness complements the other ingredients without dominating them.
Best Melon Liqueur For A Tokyo Iced Tea
By far the most common melon liqueur used in this drink is Midori. It's what gives this drink the vibrant green color, separating it from the famous LIIT. It also originates from Japan, which is a possible reason this cocktail got its name.
History
While the exact origin of Tokyo Iced Tea isn't clear, it is indeed a popular variation of the classic Long Island Iced Tea, swapping out cola for lemon-lime soda and adding a splash of Midori for an alluring, green hue. Despite its name, there's no solid link to Tokyo, Japan, but its bright, intriguing flavor has garnered it fans worldwide.
There's a chance the name came from Midori, the melon liqueur often used in this drink to give it the distinctive flavor, but this isn't confirmed, so you'll just have to take our word for it.
Similar Drinks
This drink most likely comes from the Long Island Iced Tea. If you like either of these drinks, you'll most likely also enjoy another variation, called the Adios, Motherfucker.FAQ's
What Does A Tokyo Iced Tea Taste Like?
A Tokyo Iced Tea is a sweet, refreshing, and spirited drink. The five spirits blend seamlessly, creating a potent base that's softened by the Midori's melon sweetness. Fresh lemon juice and fizzy lemon-lime soda add a zesty and invigorating tang, with the soda's carbonation giving it a lively finish. So, despite its boozy composition, it's remarkably easy to sip on, especially on a hot summer day.