Painkiller Cocktail (Classic Caribbean Rum Drink)

Two tropical cocktails in hurricane glasses with fruit garnishes and paper umbrellas.

Painkiller Cocktail (Classic Caribbean Rum Drink)

Creamy, tropical, and ready in 2 minutes. This classic Painkiller cocktail from the British Virgin Islands combines dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut over crushed ice. It's the famous beach-bar drink from the British Virgin Islands, and it tastes like a vacation in a hurricane glass.

Course Drinks

Cuisine caribbean

Keyword Painkiller cocktail

Prep Time 2

Total Time 2

Servings cocktail

Calories 327kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the cocktail

Ice Crushed
2 ounces dark rum traditionally Pusser's Rum
4 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce orange juice
1 ounce cream of coconut

For the garnish

Pineapple slices
Orange slices
Maraschino cherries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut. Shake until thoroughly chilled and lightly frothy.
Fill a tall, curved hurricane or pina-colada-style glass to the top with crushed ice. This style of ice is important, as it gives that plush, beach-bar texture and slightly dilutes the drink as you sip.
Pour the shaken cocktail over the crushed ice. It should settle into a creamy, pale golden color.
Add a cherry, pineapple, and orange slices so the drink looks abundant and tropical. Insert a cocktail umbrella for that playful island feel.

Notes

Rum: Pusser's is traditional, but any good dark or aged rum works. Skip white rum, since the drink needs that deeper molasses flavor.
Use cream of coconut, not coconut milk or coconut cream. Cream of coconut (such as Coco López) is sweetened and much thicker than canned coconut milk. Stir it before measuring.
Nutmeg: Grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top for the authentic island finish.
For a crowd: Multiply by six and mix in a pitcher, then pour over crushed ice.
Chill your juices first. Room-temperature juice melts your ice faster and waters the drink down before you even take a sip.
Stir your cream of coconut. It separates in the can or bottle into a hard layer and a thin layer. If you scoop from the top without mixing, your drink will be cloyingly sweet.
Taste and adjust. If your pineapple juice is on the tart side, you may want a splash more cream of coconut. If it is very sweet, an extra squeeze of orange evens it out.
Shake it firmly with ice. Cream of coconut can separate easily. A firm shake with ice makes sure the drink turns out smooth and blended together rather than streaky or oily on top.
Shake longer than you think. About 15 seconds of hard shaking is what creates that light foam on top. A lazy shake gives you a flat-looking drink.
Serve it over crushed ice. This cocktail is traditionally served over crushed ice, which softens the alcohol and slowly waters down the drink as you sip. I do not recommend ice cubes here. Cubes will make it taste sharper and less rounded.
Stronger or lighter: This is the classic Painkiller #2, made with 2 ounces of rum. You will also see a #3 and a #4, which use 3 and 4 ounces.

Nutrition