Hurricane vs. Mai Tai

The difference, by the numbers

Both have Jamaican rum. Only the Hurricane has passion fruit syrup and lemon juice; only the Mai Tai has aged rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, lime juice and simple syrup. In parts, a Hurricane is 2 rum, 1 passion syrup and 1 lemon; a Mai Tai is 2 rum, 2 rum, 1 Curaçao, 1 orgeat, 2 lime and ½ syrup. By volume, the Hurricane is 50% spirit, 25% syrup and sugar and 25% citrus; the Mai Tai is 47% spirit, 23% citrus, 18% syrup and sugar and 12% liqueur. That makes them close cousins on the ratio map.

The Mai Tai is the stronger drink in the glass (14.5% ABV against 12.7%), but the Hurricane is the bigger drink, so it holds more alcohol (2.71 standard drinks against 1.69). The Hurricane has more calories (about 423 against 242) and more sugar (37.6 g against 17.2 g). Both are shaken; the Hurricane is served in a hurricane glass, the Mai Tai in a rocks glass.