The Painkiller is the national drink of the British Virgin Islands. This tropical cocktail is made with Pusser’s Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut cream. Pusser’s Rum is a British Navy style rum produced by Pusser’s Rum Ltd. The rum gets its name from the nickname of British Navy sailors, who were called Pussers.

The Painkiller was created in 1971 at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke island. The bar got its name because patrons had to swim from their yachts to the bar, so they always arrived with soggy dollars in their pockets to pay for their drinks. The Painkiller was created by Daphne Henderson, the owner of the bar at the time. It started as an experiment with some ingredients she had on hand and it quickly became a favorite among her patrons.

The recipe and name of the drink spread throughout the British Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Pusser’s Rum trademarked the name Painkiller in the 1980s. They enforce strict guidelines about the proportions of ingredients to use when making an authentic Painkiller with Pusser’s Rum. The ingredients are supposed to be 4 ounces of Pusser’s Rum, 4 ounces of pineapple juice, 1 ounce of orange juice, and 1 ounce of coconut cream.

Nutritionally, the Painkiller packs quite a caloric punch due to the coconut cream and fruit juices. A single Painkiller contains around 500 calories and 30 grams of carbohydrates. However, when on vacation in a tropical paradise, most people throw nutrition to the wind and simply enjoy this fruity and creamy cocktail. The Painkiller is meant to be sipped while relaxing on the beach, watching the waves, and soaking in the sunshine.

The Painkiller has enduring popularity, especially in the Caribbean. Pusser’s Rum continues to promote it as their signature cocktail and it has become popular at beach bars and resorts throughout the islands. While delicious, the Painkiller, and a few too many of them, may leave you with a hangover that feels like a Painkiller in itself the next morning! But many say it’s worth it to enjoy a taste of the Caribbean in a glass.