Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/471637
march 2015 / the tasting panel / 55 T elling someone they can't have something is almost a guarantee they'll want it all the more. This concept cemented a profitable partnership between Pusser's Rum and Cheddar's Casual Café more than a decade ago when Cheddar's put the Pusser's Painkiller cocktail on the menu with this disclaimer: limit two per customer. "It created a lot of buzz back then and we had over a million in sales last year of the Pusser's Painkiller, so it's still very popular after all of these years," says Rick Payne, who has been with Cheddar's for 25 years and works in purchasing and operations. That's a lot of pain relief. The cocktail appeared on the Cheddar's menu after the restaurant founder met Charles Tobias of Pusser's Rum. "We imposed the two drink maximum because it seemed like it might have a lot of alcohol, although it has about as much as any other drink," says Payne. "We serve it in an 18-ounce glass rimmed with coconut, garnished with fruit, and behind the Margarita, it's the largest single drink we sell in all of our restaurants." Pusser's story goes much farther back than a decade- old grass roots marketing campaign. Skyler B. Edwards, Director of U.S. Sales for Pusser's Rum, says Pusser's has intrigued people since it was created around 1655 as a unique rum blended exclusively for British Navy ships. It is still manufactured to those same demands and quality control. "Produced in 250-year-old wooden pot stills, of which only 3 in the world remain, our rum absorbs very unique flavoring agents throughout the distillation process," he says. "In this age of crafted cocktails, people want to enjoy products with a rich heritage and story. This plays into Pusser's strength as we have one of the oldest rum recipes in the world." Other sparkling details and pieces of folklore add to the rich legend of Pusser's historic rum. For example, George Washington's Mount Vernon estate was named for Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, who first ordered burnt sugar and lime juice to be added to the British Navy's daily rum ration—effectively creating the first rum "cocktail": grog. "Made originally at the Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands, to be a true Pusser's Painkiller, the cock- tail must be made with Pusser's Rum," says Edwards. "It has a very distinct, almost bourbon-esque profile, and using Pusser's gives it that unique flavor." When a tray of drinks goes out to a Cheddar's table, other guests see that and say, 'I want one of those!' —which according to Edwards, is one reason the family of restaurants has done such phenomenal business with Pusser's Rum. "The presentation of the Painkiller Drink, with the toasted coconut and fresh ingredients used to produce this trademarked cocktail, shows the desire of national operators and buyers to invest in premium cocktails made with premium spirits," says Edwards. "They want something that gives them an edge—they don't want to use the everyday rums that everyone else is using." THE BASIC RECIPE courtesy of Pusser's Rum Ltd. ◗ 2 oz. Pusser's Rum ◗ 4 oz. pineapple juice ◗ 1 oz. orange juice ◗ 1 oz. cream of coconut ◗ Fill a big glass or goblet with ice and add the ingredients. To mix, pour once or twice back and forth into another glass. Grate fresh nutmeg on top and enjoy this most delightful of tropical drinks. The roots of this festive cocktail date back hundreds of years to voyages of the British Royal Navy in the 1600s. Pusser's Painkiller—