The Rum Runner was created in the late 1950's at the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar in Islamorada, Florida. The story is that the bar had an excess of blackberry and Banana Liqueurs that needed to be sold before a new shipment of liquor could be brought in, so the Rum Runner was a blend of excess liquor the bar needed to get rid of, and the result is a very popular tropical drink that was named for the real rum runners that inhabited the Keys during the prohibition era.
The recipe calls for one ounce of light rum, dark rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, orange juice, pineapple Juice, and a splash of grenadine. All the ingredients placed is a shaker with ice, shaken and poured into a highball glass and garnished with an orange slice. This sweet and fruity cocktail has been a best seller of the tropics and is usually found in some version or another all over the Caribbean and wherever you find a good tropical bar.
The next time you are traveling through Islamorada, stop by the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar and experience the original Rum Runner for yourself. ;o)
