Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Rum Cocktails

Painkiller

A twist on the Piña Colada, the Painkiller is a rich and fruity cocktail that stays true to its name: It will cure what ails you. Made with dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut, the drink was created in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), where the confluence of warm temperatures and vacation vibes necessitated cold, refreshing libations. And where, with no dock, dollars were bound to get wet as patrons swam ashore.

The Painkiller is typically made with Pusser’s Rum, a recreation of the British Royal Navy rum that was issued to sailors until 1970. Pusser’s pays homage to that rum and is made in the same style, blended on the BVI island of Tortula to the same proportions as the original.

In the 1980s, the Painkiller was trademarked by Pusser’s in an enterprising feat of marketing. Sure, the Painkiller can be made with any rum if you’re making it at home, but if the Painkiller appears on menus, it should include Pusser’s. The rich blend of rums pairs with the juices and coconut cream to bring the tropics right into your glass. Dust a little fresh nutmeg on top for additional aromatics and spice.

The Painkiller recipe is easy to make and even easier to drink. Mix one on the beach, in the backyard, or anytime you want to channel a tropical vacation.

Painkiller cocktail, pale yellow, in a curved hurricane glass over crushed ice, with a bamboo straw and pineapple wedge garnish

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Pusser’s rum

  • 4 ounces pineapple juice

  • 1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed

  • 1 ounce cream of coconut

  • Garnish: nutmeg, freshly grated

  • Garnish: pineapple wedge

Steps

  1. Add the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and cream of coconut to a shaker with cubed ice and shake vigorously but briefly to combine.

  2. Strain into a hurricane glass or snifter over crushed ice.

  3. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and a pineapple wedge.

  4. Serve with a straw.

What's the Difference Between a Painkiller and a Piña Colada?

The primary difference between a Painkiller and a Piña Colada is the base spirit. Piña Coladas most often use a light rum, while the traditional Pusser's used in the Painkiller is a dark rum. This change creates a baking spice-like depth to the drink, which is accentuated by its fresh nutmeg garnish.

Beyond this change in rum style, the Painkiller includes two to three times the amount of pineapple juice, and also includes fresh orange juice, which the Piña Colada omits.

Do I Need to Use Pusser's Rum in a Painkiller?

Pusser's owns the trademark on the Painkiller, so one could argue that unlike the spirit flexibility of some other cocktails, using the brand in this drink is a legal requirement.

However, using the correct rum is needed to create a number of the core components of the drink. Pusser's Blue Label is a dark brown rum made from a blend of five rums distilled in Guyana and Trinidad, and tends to offer notes of nutmeg, cloves, tobacco, caramel, and leather. This flavor profile is needed to balance the topical juices used in this cocktail and to create the spice and depth of a proper Painkiller.