New Orleans Hurricane

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

A stormy and sweet mix of dark and silver rum makes this Hurricane from New Orleans a welcome one.

When I was younger, my Army family lived in a number of places on the East Coast, and every year we had to batten down the hatches when a hurricane would eventually barrel through. Georgia, Virginia and New York gave us quite a few storms, and as we’ve seen on the news recently, many people have had their lives upended.

New Orleans is a town that’s well acquainted with these powerful and often devastating events. It’s also a town with guts, strong bones and a history to match. With an undying spirit and jazzy energy, the Big Easy always bounces back. Everyone knows Mardi Gras, and even if folks don’t live there they’ll often celebrate while living vicariously through the revelry on their television screens.

New Orleans has its own hurricane that’s also quite popular outside of the city, appropriately called the New Orleans Hurricane. A large, strong potion that mixes both dark and silver rums, this cocktail has been around since the 1940s. The story goes that during World War II, whiskey was a tad harder to get than rum. In order to get a single case of whiskey, bars would have to order an incredibly large amount of rum. It got to the point where most establishments had more rum than they knew what to do with. Pat O’Brien’s, a bar in the French Quarter, took their surplus of rum and began to serve what eventually became known as the New Orleans Hurricane. The drink has become a N’awlins icon, with Pat O’Brien’s selling over half a million of them every year.

Since becoming one of the city’s signature drinks, any visitor to the “Paris of the South” will have an easy time getting a hold of a Hurricane, as just about every bar and drive-thru drink stand will have the classic or frozen varieties available.

What is the Best Rum to use in a New Orleans Hurricane?

The original recipe used Jamaican rum in the mixture. Ours calls for both dark and light rums, so if you have a preferred brand of either, they’ll go together well. If you want to be a traditionalist, Blackwell’s makes a delicious Jamaican dark rum that features notes of caramel and other spices, while Wray & Nephew is a white overproof rum that is quite popular with tourists visiting the Caribbean island.

What Glassware and Garnish is Used?

A hurricane glass is the classic way to serve and enjoy this cocktail, and it’s large enough to hold the sizable drink. Pop a cherry and an orange slice on top for a colorful and fruity garnish.

Where did the hurricane glass come from?

When this cocktail was first introduced, it was served in a hurricane lamp, which inspired the famous glassware that many mixed drinks have been poured into over the years.

Similar Cocktails to the New Orleans Hurricane

A tropical-tasting tipple is always a good idea. Since you enjoyed making and drinking a few Hurricanes this evening, you might want to check out a few of these recipes below that’ll tickle your taste buds like today’s cocktail did. And if those also pleased your senses, explore even more drink ideas here at Twist & Toast.

• Blue Hawaiian – Rum and blue curaçao make this coconut-flavored drink a strong one.
• Frozen Mojito – Enjoy this minty and frozen rum-based elixir on your next day off.
• Zombie – This classic Tiki cocktail also incorporates dark and light rum.
• Dirty Monkey – Banana liqueur, Kahlúa and dark rum make this smooth and creamy treat an irresistible one.