The Piña colada is made with white rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream, and is associated with Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico officially recognized the Piña colada as its national drink in 1978. Two San Juan bartenders are most often connected with its modern history: Ramón “Monchito” Marrero at the Caribe Hilton and Ramón Portas Mingot at the Barrachina restaurant. Competing origin claims mean that the exact inventor is disputed, but the drink’s Puerto Rican association is firmly established.
The name means “strained pineapple” in Spanish, referring to pineapple juice rather than a garnish. The cocktail is usually blended or shaken with ice and served cold, often in a hurricane or tall glass.
A Painkiller is related but normally uses dark or aged rum, pineapple and orange juices, and cream of coconut. Coconut cream and cream of coconut are also not identical products, although recipes sometimes use the terms loosely.