The Hurricane is the New Orleans cocktail created at Pat O’Brien’s and named after a storm lantern.
Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter developed the drink during World War II, when whiskey and other spirits were difficult for bars to obtain. The original formulation used rum, which was more readily available, along with fruit juices and sweetener.
The cocktail is commonly served in a tall, curved glass shaped somewhat like a hurricane lamp. Modern recipes vary considerably, but passion-fruit flavor, rum, and citrus are recurring features. Commercial mixes are also widely used in New Orleans.
The Hurricane should not be confused with the Sazerac, another famous New Orleans drink. The Sazerac is a whiskey-based cocktail associated with Peychaud’s bitters and an absinthe rinse, while the Hurricane is a rum-and-fruit drink.