Spiked Arnold Palmer (John Daly Drink)

Cool off with the perfect cocktail for a summer day, the John Daly drink. With a refreshing mix of vodka, lemonade and iced tea, this three-ingredient, spiked Arnold Palmer cocktail is sure to be a hit at your next backyard barbecue.

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About this Spiked Arnold Palmer cocktail recipe

If you’ve ever ordered a cocktail named for a person, have you wondered, “Who are these people?!” Me too — drink names are so funny!

Sometimes drinks are named for famous people, like Ernest Hemingway’s Hemingway daiquiri. Some drinks are named for fictional characters, like the James Bond martini. And other times no one really knows who they’re named for, like the classic Tom Collins.

The John Daly cocktail falls firmly in the famous people camp. However, it’s a spin-off of another famous person drink: the Arnold Palmer. It’s named for a pro golfer whose go-to drink was a combo of lemonade and iced tea — the ultimate summer drink.

A Florida bartender later created an alcoholic version of the Arnold Palmer drink and named it for another famous American golfer John Daly. It usually contains vodka, though there are some delicious swaps you can try. The result is an über refreshing drink that makes you want to spend a day on the green — or at the very least, on the porch.

More three-ingredient drink recipes: Belmont Jewel • Madras • Gold Rush

Why you’ll love this recipe

The Spiked Arnold Palmer drink is such a great summer cocktail, and you’re going to love it.

• With just three ingredients, it is so super simple to make.
• It’s very simple to customize! Make it with flavored lemonade, vodka or tea to your liking.
• Lemonade and iced tea are both refreshing drinks, but as one drink they are the ultimate summer sipper. The ultimate drink for a hot day!

It’s a great cocktail to serve at a summer BBQ, wedding and baby showers, picnics and brunches.

What is an Arnold Palmer drink?

The Arnold Palmer drink is named for the professional American golfer, Arnold Palmer. Nicknamed “The King,” he was one of the sport’s most popular players who won 62 PGA Tour Titles between 1955 and 1973.

He often ordered and drank a combination of sweet lemonade and unsweet iced tea, which earned the nickname of “The Arnold Palmer.” Adding alcohol — usually vodka — makes a Spiked Arnold Palmer, and is also called a John Daly, named for another famous golfer.

Arnold Palmer vs. John Daly

The John Daly is a nickname for the alcoholic version of the Arnold Palmer drink. The Arnold Palmer contains just iced tea and lemonade served over ice, but the John Daly typically contains vodka as well, although other spirits like rum and tequila can be used. It’s also sometimes called a “dirty Arnold Palmer.”

Daton Lewis, a bartender at the Whiskey Creek Golf Course in Fort Myers, Florida, invented the cocktail version of this famous drink for the 2005 Dirty Gator Open, a competition featuring golfer John Daly.

However, Daly wasn’t a fan of his name being used without his permission, so in 2010 he clapped back with two friends, and together they founded the the GIASI Beverage Company to sell his own branded version of the drink. (GIASI stands for “Grip It and Sip It,” a play on Daly’s motto of “Grip It and Rip It.”)

Launched in 2013, the Original John Daly Cocktail line of beverages are bottled by Frank-Lin Distillers in Fairfield, California and is sold across the United States including Daly’s home state, Arkansas. Good Boy Vodka has partnered with Daly to sell the drinks in canned form.

Tools & glassware

To make your own spiked Arnold Palmer drink, you don’t need much! A jigger is helpful for measuring out the ingredients to nail that perfect ratio, but you can otherwise mix it right in the glass.

Serve it in a Collins glass or a rocks glass, perhaps with a tall, skinny ice spear. (I used this tray to make mine.)

Ingredients

Besides ice, you only need three simple ingredients for a spiked Arnold Palmer drink:

1. vodka
2. lemonade
3. iced tea

It’s a super simple recipe, but when you have a short ingredient list, quality really matters. Here are my recommendations for each of these ingredients:

1. Vodka

Plain vodka is what is classically used in this recipe. Spring for a quality vodka, as cheaper vodka can have a more cloying, alcoholic taste. Tito’s, Reyka and Deep Eddy are great brands to try.

Some people like to make their John Daly cocktails with just lemonade and sweet tea vodka, which you can make yourself by infusing tea bags in plain vodka and adding simple syrup. You can have fun with other flavors too, like spicy vodka or infused vodka.

2. Lemonade

Store-bought lemonade is absolutely fine, or you could make a big batch of homemade lemonade. An organic lemonade or a brand with a short ingredient list will probably taste the best. Keep an eye out for concentrates and strange ingredients!

You can certainly try flavored lemonades too, like strawberry lemonade or blueberry lemonade, to shake things up.

3. Iced tea

Technically the Arnold Palmer calls for unsweetened black tea, but if you want a sweeter drink you can use sweetened tea. (I do — I’m from the South, and sweet tea is a must down here!) Flavored teas, like peach iced tea, are another option as well.

Personally, I like to make my own cold-brew iced tea, which is made by infusing tea bags in cold water overnight. It’s not as bitter as hot-brewed tea that has cooled down. If you want to get creative and try this with green tea or herbal tea, you absolutely can.

4. Garnishes

To finish off your Spiked Arnold Palmer, decorate it with a few lemon slices or a sprig of mint. Fresh fruit like berries or peach slices would also be colorful and pretty.

Substitutions & variations

While the Spiked Arnold Palmer cocktail in its simplest form is made with vodka, lemonade and iced tea, you can have fun by playing with flavored versions of any of the ingredients to make it your own.

• Peach: Use peach lemonade or peach iced tea for more Southern flavor.
• Raspberry: Homemade raspberry lemonade would be delish.
• Watermelon: Summery watermelon lemonade would make it even more refreshing.
• Mango: Make it tropical with some honey mango lemonade. Mango rum would make it more like the Spiked Lemon Tea used at P.F. Chang’s.

You can also switch up the spirit from vodka, or use a flavored vodka.

• Bourbon: Whiskey makes it taste even more Southern, à la the Lynchburg Lemonade.
• Tequila: Some people call it a Juan Daly when tequila is used.
• Rum: Add rum or spiced rum and call it a Captain Palmer.
• Non-alcoholic: And, of course, you can make the non-alcoholic Arnold Palmer without the vodka.

Instructions

Making a Spiked Arnold Palmer is super simple! Here’s what to do:

First, add ice to a Collins glass. A rocks glass works too. Then add the vodka and lemonade.

Pour iced tea on top and stir together. Garnish with a lemon wheel and some fresh mint. Voilà!

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this easy cocktail recipe:

• Go for a quality vodka, not the bottom shelf. You can taste the difference.
• Experiment with flavored vodka, tea or lemonade to change things up.
• Make a big batch and stash it in the fridge for easy cocktails for guests.

Food pairings

This drink is perfect for relaxing by the pool or on the porch in the spring and summer.

Serve this iced tea lemonade cocktail with your favorite summer treats, like lemon bars and baked peaches. Some pimento cheese spread for crackers or sandwiches would be delicious for an appetizer.

FAQ

More sports cocktails

• Mint Julep (Kentucky Derby)
• Pimm’s Cup (Wimbledon)
• Black-Eyed Susan (Preakness Stakes)