You’re looking for a cocktail that delivers serious tropical flavor without the sugary nonsense. The Rum Runner is your answer – a dual-rum powerhouse that honors Caribbean smugglers with every sip. We’ve stripped away the tourist-trap fluff to give you the authentic Key West classic that made this drink legendary.
This isn’t another fruity poolside sipper. It’s a sophisticated balance of premium rums and carefully chosen liqueurs that respects the spirit-forward foundation every great cocktail deserves.
What Is a Rum Runner Cocktail?
The Rum Runner was created by “Tiki John” Ebert at Holiday Isle Tiki Bar in Islamorada, Florida – though there is some debate whether it was the 1950s or 1972. The legend involves Ebert mixing leftover liqueurs to create something extraordinary. Named after Prohibition-era rum smugglers who transported illegal spirits through the Caribbean, this cocktail combines light and dark rums with banana and blackberry liqueurs.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Rum Runner Cocktail
How to Make a Rum Runner Cocktail
- Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds until it’s ice-cold.
- Double-strain into a hurricane glass filled with crushed ice.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and pineapple wedge.
Bartender’s Tips
- Tip 1: Can’t find blackberry liqueur? Muddle fresh blackberries with ¼ oz simple syrup.
- Tip 2: For a drier version, reduce banana liqueur to ¾ oz and increase dark rum to 1¼ oz.
- Tip 3: Crushed ice is crucial for proper dilution and authentic tiki texture.
- Tip 4: Make real grenadine with equal parts pomegranate juice and sugar—it transforms this cocktail.
How to Serve This Rum Runner Cocktail
Serve immediately in a hurricane glass with crushed ice. The traditional cherry and pineapple garnish adds aromatic elements that enhance the experience. Perfect for summer gatherings or when you need a Key West state of mind.
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Rum Runner Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz light rum
- 1 oz dark rum
- 1 oz banana liqueur
- 1/2 oz blackberry liqueur
- 1 3/4 oz pineapple juice
- 3/4 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz – ½ oz grenadine
Garnish
- cherry
- pineapple wedge
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
- Shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a hurricane glass filled with crushed ice.
- Garnish with a cherry and pineapple wedge.
Video
Recipe FAQs
Substitute with ½ oz amaretto and ¼ oz simple syrup for a different but delicious variation.
Hurricane uses passion fruit syrup and lemon juice; Rum Runner features banana and blackberry liqueurs with pineapple juice.
Multiply ingredients by servings needed, store chilled, then shake individual portions with ice when serving.
Reduce banana liqueur to ¾ oz, increase lime juice to ¾ oz, use unsweetened pineapple juice.
Light rum: Plantation 3 Stars or Flor de Caña 4 Year. Dark rum: Myers’s Original Dark or Gosling’s Black Seal.
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