Culinary writer extrordinaire Chris Johns sounds a warning about the most deadly rum punch in the Caribbean.

The rum punch at Cutters Deli in Barbados is one of the great wonders of mixology. It is a deceptively simple recipe: lime, cane syrup, rum and ice with a nutmeg garnish. I think Roger might put some bitters in there, but I’m pretty sure it’s that nutmeg that propels the drink from something strong and refreshing to something monumental and slightly dangerous.

Dangerous because of a serious design flaw; One is not enough. Two are, in fact, exactly the right number of Cutters rum punches to drink, but after two you start thinking things like: “Oh, I’ve finished that second one already, maybe I should have another.” This is where the trouble starts. After three rum punches you start talking like a pirate. After four you’re speaking in tongues. After five Cutters rum punches you’ll be sleeping on the lawn and using a dog for a pillow. No one has ever drank six.

So, by all means try it, it’s a phenomenal drink – sweet, sour and herbaceous elements harmonized with the baritone note of rum – but do so at your own risk.

Read Chris John’s food reviews in the Globe and Mail every weekend this summer!