The Perfect Storm: How to Make a Hurricane Cocktail

Dangerously easy to both make and drink; the Hurricane is a wildly popular recipe that calls for cocktail quibblers to drop their act and have a bit of fun.

It’s roots are firmly planted in the spirited watering hole of New Orleans as the true drink of Mardi Gras – but, add a generous dash of Tiki-fuelled alchemy and you have yourself a boozy, zesty and fruit-filled concoction.

It’s deceiving for even the most discerning drinker, and when made right, this classic cocktail is a fantastically potent rum recipe to remember, for when you fancy a home tipple that packs a punch.

History and Hurricanes: Where does it come from?

All roads lead to Bourbon Street, or more specifically, Pat O’Brien’s Bar. The Hurricane’s origin story was conceived in 1940, when it’s notorious red-hue was a bit easier on the eyes. WWII called for many US distilleries to swap out Whiskey production for military manufacturing. Meaning, if whiskey was hard to come by, so was NOLA’s most cherished concoctions.

The Big Easy however, is a resourceful melting pot of persistence. In order for the bar to get their hands on some Bourbon, an ample amount of Rum had to be a part of the exchange too. The addition of Rum cocktails on the menu however, is not the first time NOLA’s residents have embraced change and welcomed Caribbean culture to their city.

The eponymous concoction however was not the result of a whirlwind journey up the Mississippi, instead the name reflects the vessel its liquid is served in. With the chosen glassware resembling the likes of a hurricane lamp, the cocktail soon became a diverting serve, that strayed away from the typical and refined French Quarter cocktail.

This fruity, yet deceitful drink has put Pat O’Brien’s on the map, but after reading recipe after recipe – there just isn’t an original receipt to go by – so let’s break it down and find you a starting point for this evening’s tipple…

Shaking up a Storm: How to Make the Hurricane Cocktail

In my search for the best Hurricane Recipe out there, each had their own trail of critiques, commented by fervent home-tenders with their own riffs and twists on the ‘original’ – if you can call it such.

The authentic recipe, like with many ‘classics’ has become shrouded in misinformation. You’ll find that contemporary concoctions will radiate a bright red hue and won’t shy away from various tropical syrups for a distinctly sweetened serve.Fine for those who have an extreme sweet tooth – but we’ve decided to tether our kitchen cocktail for the rum lover and hone in on the tropical flavours and nuances found in full-bodied Jamaican Rums.

30ml Dark Rum

30ml Jamaican Rum

30ml Lemon Juice

30ml Passionfruit Syrup

Add all of your ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with cubed ice.

Hard shake to properly chill, dilute and combine. (You’ll know it’s ready when the shaker becomes frosty).

Dirty pour into a Hurricane glass and top with crushed ice.

Garnish with a lemon wheel and Maraschino cherry.

Stepping up your Serve: Tips & Tricks for your Perfect Cocktail

The Rum – For this recipe we used a robust Dark Rum like Gosling’s Black Seal Dark Rum, or one known to work well in cocktails. We strongly recommend using an aged or higher proof Jamaican Rum, such as Smith & Cross for its distinctive tropical and aromatic rum style or Hampden Estate 8yr for impressive complexity. If you do opt to use a White Rum, make sure that your second option is full-bodied to stand up to the syrups and citrus.

The Syrup – The original recipe was made with a long-lost tiki syrup called Fassionola. So, make sure your cocktail contains passionfruit. We’ve opted for passionfruit syrup, however substitute as you wish. You can opt for passionfruit juice or puree, which makes way for the addition of grenadine syrup if you’re chasing that bright red hue. Remember – it’s all about balance, so be careful not to overdo the sryups.

To add a bit of colour we combined our home-made passionfruit syrup with the syrup found in your jar of maraschino cherries, which is later used to garnish.

Modern recipes may call for other juices such as orange, pineapple, or lime juice, so you can see how many times the Hurricane has been pulled, tweaked, and tailored for the drinker. The recipe we have given above is a great starting point and a simple base to experiment with, until you find your perfect balance of rum, citrus, and tropical sweetness.