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New Orleans, Louisiana (French Quarter) · American

Hurricane (New Orleans Rum, Passion Fruit & Citrus)

The big, red New Orleans tiki classic: dark and light rum with passion fruit, orange and lime, served tall over crushed ice in a curvy hurricane glass. Fruity, potent and pure French Quarter.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published July 11, 2026

A tall red Hurricane cocktail in a curvy hurricane glass over crushed ice with an orange slice and cherry, bright light.

The Hurricane was born at Pat O'Brien's bar in 1940s New Orleans, reportedly when the owner had to buy huge quantities of rum to get scarce whiskey during the war — so he invented a drink to use it up, served in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp. It became the signature sip of the French Quarter: fruity, red and deceptively strong, a tiki cousin that owes as much to Bourbon Street as to the South Seas.

Yield
Makes 1
Prep
5 min
Cook
0 min
Total
About 5 min
Difficulty
Easy

The Hurricane is New Orleans’ big red tiki classic: dark and light rum with passion fruit, orange and lime, poured tall over crushed ice in a curvy hurricane glass. Fruity, potent and pure French Quarter — born at Pat O’Brien’s in the 1940s.

Real fruit, not neon mix

The bar version leans on a sugary red “hurricane mix.” Build it from real passion fruit, fresh orange and lime, and a little grenadine instead and it’s a different, far better drink — balanced rather than cloying.

Blend your rums

A dark rum brings colour and depth; a white or gold rum keeps a clean backbone. A funky Jamaican rum adds character.

One of the tiki family

Fruity, rum-forward and lavishly garnished, it sits right alongside the Mai Tai and Zombie in the tiki family.

Ingredients

Makes
1
  • 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) dark rum
  • 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) white or gold rum
  • 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) passion fruit purée or syrup Real passion fruit is the soul of the drink; a good passion fruit syrup works too.
  • 30 ml (1 oz) fresh orange juice
  • 22 ml (3/4 oz) fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp grenadine For colour and a touch of sweetness; real pomegranate grenadine is best.
  • orange slice and a cherry, to garnish
  • crushed ice

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Shake both rums, the passion fruit, orange juice, lime juice and grenadine with ice for 10–15 seconds.

    Why: Shaking chills, dilutes and marries the many ingredients into one cohesive, frothy drink.

  2. Pour unstrained (or strain over fresh crushed ice) into a tall hurricane glass.

    Why: Crushed ice keeps it cold and gives the tall, slushy tiki texture; a hurricane glass is traditional but any large glass works.

  3. Garnish generously with an orange slice and a cherry.

    Why: A lavish fruit garnish is part of the tiki experience — and signals the fruit inside.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Less sweet

    Use unsweetened passion fruit purée and cut the grenadine; let the fresh citrus lead.

  • Float

    Float a bar spoon of overproof dark rum on top for a stronger, more aromatic drink.

  • The tiki family

    Explore the rest — the Mai Tai, Zombie, Painkiller and Piña Colada all share the rum-and-fruit template.

Serving & Storage

A party and celebration drink — bright, fruity and generous. Serve very cold with plenty of ice.

Pairs with: Jambalaya, Shrimp po'boy, Blackened fish, Beignets.

Storage: Best made to order; the fresh citrus and froth are at their best right away.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 drink (~300 ml))

Calories
320
Protein
1 g
Carbs
38 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
1 g
Sugar
32 g
Sodium
10 mg

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Hurricane so red?

The colour comes from grenadine and passion fruit. Many bar versions use a sugary red 'hurricane mix,' but a scratch Hurricane built from real passion fruit, fresh citrus and a little grenadine is far better — fruity and balanced rather than cloying and neon.

What rum should I use?

A blend is traditional: a dark rum for depth and colour plus a white or gold rum for a cleaner backbone. A funky Jamaican dark rum adds great character. Avoid spiced or heavily sweetened rums, since the drink is already fruity.

I can't find passion fruit — what now?

A good passion fruit syrup or purée (often sold frozen in Latin markets) is the easiest route. In a pinch, a tropical passion-fruit-forward juice blend works, though you'll want to cut back on the grenadine to keep it from getting too sweet.

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Further reading