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Tokyo Iced Tea

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (50)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1/2 fl oz Light white rum (charcoal-filtered 1-4 years old)
1/2 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin
1/2 fl oz Ketel One Vodka
1/2 fl oz Reposado tequila (100% agave)
1/2 fl oz Cointreau L'Unique triple sec liqueur
1/2 fl oz Green melon liqueur
1 fl oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
1 2/3 fl oz Lemon-lime soda (Sprite/7-Up) (chilled)

How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Sling glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a SLING GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon slice wheel.

Method

  1. SHAKE first 7 ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into ice-filled glass.
  3. TOP with lemon-lime soda (or lemonade)and briefly stir.

Garnish

  1. Garnish with lemon slice wheel.
  2. Serve with a straw.

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Tokyo Iced Tea contains 203 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.8 standard drinks
  • 14.16% alc./vol. (28.32° proof)
  • 25.8 grams of pure alcohol
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History

When, where and who added green melon liqueur to a Long Island Iced Tea to create the Tokyo Iced Tea is unknown. Who would want to own up to doing such a thing?

It's a cocktail I identify with TGI Fridays during the mid-1990s when the chain was known for the professionalism of its bartenders and consequently was very influential. The Tokyo Iced Tea doesn't appear in any of the cocktail books I have from the 1980s, indeed its first appearance in print is credited to Paul Knorr's 2007 10,000 Drinks: 27 Years' Worth of Cocktails.

Review

You will be surprised how the half shot of melon liqueur shows through the many other ingredients.

Variations/similar cocktails

Adios, Motherfucker (AKA Alaskan Iced Tea - with blue curaçao in place of green melon liqueur.

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Gallery

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Comments & Discussion

lindee horman
I’m enjoying this drink and I am surprised how well it marries together… for me it hits the spot for a hot Summer afternoon drink
score: 0
Paul Bingham Premium Member
Not bad at all, my first experience and I’d say it was a bit like a salt free margarita - and no worse for that! Question now is, how many years will the Midori sit in my cupboard?
score: 0
Leo
Like honest I expected something which is Long Island iced tea taste from this twist, and then I went to a renowned bar. Their bartender crafted me this thing and it turns out like a whole cup full of lemonade which is rather boring… I expected more from this recipe, but it turns out to be like a big cup of lemonade.
score: 1
Simon Sedgley Premium Member
We thought the melon liqueur was fighting a lone uphill battle against the spirits and sours. So we added 15ml Aqua Bianca. Lifted it nicely for us. A very refreshing cocktail.
score: 1
Eleanor McEvedy
I used what I had to hand (el espolon tequila, normal clear lemonade instead of sprite) and it turned out really nice, a lovely jade green colour too.
score: 2
Avery Garnett
It's...fine. It tastes of nothing in particular, which makes it significantly more headache than you care for when you've got to grab 8 different bottles.
score: 0
JACQUELINE KIRK
I have fuzzy memories of drinking too many of these on my 21st birthday in San Francisco O_o
I do think the ingredients used were not very high-quality :D I will revisit this with the recommended alcohols here and hopefully create a better memory of this cocktail! Now that we're adults...
score: 0
William Y
Followed the recipe and the drink turned out to be slightly green instead of the yellow color with the photo, it tasted great nevertheless =)
score: 3
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
The photograph dates back to 2001, before we used digital cameras so the colour could be an image processing rather than mixing issue. Worthy of an update!
score: 1
John Hopkins
Love this variation on a Long Island Iced Tea.
score: 1