The Soggy Dollar Bar’s ultimate tiki drink: The Painkiller

The Soggy Dollar Bar’s Painkiller recipe is a close-kept secret. But maybe if you buy Leon a few rounds, he’ll spill the beans. What’s below is the generally accepted substitute. While the Soggy Dollar uses their own rum, most drinks call for Pusser’s rum. That’s because Pusser’s initiated a legal battle in the 80’s to trademark the Painkiller name. If you’re putting “Painkiller” on a menu, you’re “supposed” to use Pusser’s rum. Read more about it below.  

The Painkiller Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 oz of dark rum (better use Pusser’s or they’ll be cross with you)
• 1 oz cream of coconut (some swear 2 oz tastes better)
• 4 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 pinch of ground nutmeg or grate your own

Steps

1. Add all of the ingredients, excluding the nutmeg, to an iced shaker and shake your little heart out.
2. Strain and pour the drink over a tall glass filled with ice.
3. Grate fresh nutmeg on top, or sprinkle a pinch of the ground nutmeg.
4. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. If you’re feeling extra Tiki, add a slice of pineapple too

History

The Painkiller is a popular tropical cocktail with an interesting history rooted in the Caribbean. Going into the way-back machine, the Dutch pirate Joost Van Dyk settled in the BVI around 1615. In 1625, he had to hide out from some angry Spaniards who were miffed that he stole a bunch of their gold after they stole that gold from someone else. To slip the noose, he kept a low-key hang-out on the island that now bears his name.

Origins

The Painkiller was created in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands. The bar, located on the beach of Jost Van Dyke island, was (and still is) a popular spot for yachts and sailors. The Soggy Dollar is considered a lynchpin of the Caribbean beach bar culture. It is the quintessential beach-shack bar. You can read more about it and how it got its name here.

The Painkiller was initially mixed by Daphne Henderson, who ran the Soggy Dollar Bar at the time. The drink is a rich and fruity cocktail made with dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and orange juice, finished with a generous grating of fresh nutmeg on top. It’s known for its creamy texture and sweet, tropical flavor profile, making it a staple in Caribbean bars and a favorite among beachgoers.

Pusser’s Rum

Back in the day, British sailors’ daily ration of rum, or “tot” of rum, was issued by the ship’s purser. Over time, and too many rums, that term warped into the word pusser. Hence, Pusser’s Rum. The Painkiller is typically made with Pusser’s, which is a recreation of the British Royal Navy rum that was issued to sailors until 1970. Sadly the Royal Navy ceased this practice due to concerns that distributing strong alcohol to sailors working around heavy machinery wasn’t the best idea they ever had.

Legal Battle

The popularity of the Painkiller led to a trademark dispute in the 1980s. Pusser’s trademarked the name “Painkiller” and its recipe. They claimed that their rum was the original rum used in the cocktail and because of that, they had the rights to it.

This trademarking dispute led to legal battles with the Soggy Dollar Bar and others who served the drink. Pusser’s Rum eventually won, which led to some controversy in the bartending and Caribbean tourism communities. We like Pusser’s Rum, but to us, this sounds like a bunch of horse-crap, and others agree. In 2011 when Pusser’s sent a cease and desist letter to a NY bar on the Lower East Side, there was an organized boycott of Pusser’s. Deserved.

Icon of Island Life

Despite the legal disputes, the Painkiller has remained a beloved cocktail, especially in tropical locales and among fans of Caribbean flavors. Its enduring popularity has led to a plethora of variations and spread the drink further than the Caribbean shores. While Pusser’s Rum is often used to make a traditional Painkiller, many bartenders and enthusiasts make the drink with various types of rum, adjusting the ratios of the ingredients to suit their tastes. Regardless, the Painkiller is more than just a cocktail; it’s a symbol of the laid-back, sun-soaked lifestyle of the Caribbean. It screams tiki bars, Jimmy Buffet, and sunburnt, rum drinking, modern-day pirates.

What’s the difference between a Piña Colada and a Painkiller?

Good Question. Piña Coladas are made with light rum, which is subtler, whereas Painkillers use dark rum, contributing to a more robust flavor. Additionally, the Painkiller includes orange juice, adding another layer of fruity sweetness, which is not present in the Piña Colada. While Piña Coladas are often blended to a smooth, slushy-like consistency, Painkillers are usually shaken or stirred, resulting in a more traditional liquid consistency. Finally, the Painkiller, with its additional ingredients of orange juice and nutmeg, tends to have a more complex flavor profile compared to the relatively straightforward sweetness of the Piña Colada.