Painkiller

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                                        Painkiller

Happy New Year, Readers! The Painkiller is a wonderfully tropical cocktail.  This rich and fruity island favorite is a twist on the Piña Colada, and was listed by Drinks International as one of the top 50 Classic Cocktails.

The Painkiller was originally created at a bar called the Soggy Dollar, at White Bay on the island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands in the 1970s.    There is no dock, so the only way to get to this small beach front bar is to swim up to it, hence the name Soggy Dollar!  The bar was owned by a British woman named Daphne Henderson, and legend has it that Charles Tobias of Pusser’s Rum came to try out this locally famous cocktail.  He loved it, but Daphne would not give him her recipe.  He figured it out on his own and eventually trademarked it and started promoting it as the signature drink of Pusser’s Rum.  Tobias has always given Henderson credit as the inspiration for the Painkiller, and now it is a world famous cocktail. 

Pusser’s is a British Rum and prior to 1740 the daily “tot” for sailors was a pint a day of Pusser’s.  Yes, a PINT.   On July 31, 1970, the Admiralty Board abolished the tradition of the daily issue of Pusser’s rum and stated that “times had changed”.  In 1979, Charles Tobias obtained the rights to this famed rum and started bottling and selling it for the first time.  Today, Pusser’s is known as the single malt of rum and does not use any flavoring agents, unlike many rums and the recipe is still in accordance with the Admiralty’s specifications for rum.  The Original Admiralty Blend (the Blue label) is a full-bodied rum with hints of spices, dried fruits, molasses and Demerara, and at 84 proof is perfect for sipping with or without ice.

The differences between the Painkiller and the Piña Colada recipes may appear to be slight but the flavor difference is tremendous.  A classic Piña Colada is made with pineapple juice, coconut cream and light rum. It is blended in a blender with ice to create a slushy frozen drink.  The Painkiller has the addition of orange juice and is served over ice, so as not to dilute-- and is also topped with grated nutmeg.  The orange juice adds a tangy sweetness which works beautifully with the coconut and the pineapple.  The other major difference here of course, is its base…..the RUM.  Yes, it is originally made with Pusser’s, but I always say that when creating a cocktail there are no rules, so you can use whatever aged rum you choose.  While researching this iconic cocktail, I found many different recipes, all using different proportions of rum.  Apparently the folklore here is that depending on how bad your pain is determines how much rum the bartender puts in, from one ounce to FOUR!  I made it a few times and I think 2 ounces is enough, especially if you intend on having more than one (which is very hard not to)   Here is my recipe, and it will certainly heal what ails you.  Cheers!!

  • 2 ounces Pusser’s or your favorite aged rum
  • 2 ounces Pineapple Juice
  • 1 ounce Coconut Cream (Coco Lopez is good but you can also find delicious canned ones in the Mexican food section of your grocery store)
  • 1 ounce Fresh Orange Juice

Shake all 4 ingredients with ice, and pour it all back into the serving glass.  Top with freshly grated nutmeg (and I like a little fresh cinnamon too) and a slice of orange and pineapple.

Cris