Zombie Rum Cocktail
The Zombie is a classic drink by the legendary bartender and restaurateur Donn Beach. It's one of many popular cocktails created and served at the lively Hollywood bar, Don the Beachcomber, which opened in 1933 and was responsible for kicking off what became popularly known as the Tiki-style of drink.
The Zombie is a behemoth of a cocktail that features three different rums—Jamaican, Puerto Rican and 151-proof—along with fresh lime juice, falernum, grenadine, a few drops of absinthe and Don's mix, a cinnamon-flavored simple syrup mixed with fresh grapefruit juice. It's emblematic of the type of cocktails served at Beach's bar—strong and complex with many ingredients and multiple rums. The Zombie fits perfectly within Donn's philosophy, "If you can't get to paradise, I'll bring it to you."
Bartenders and authors regularly tweak the Zombie, so published recipes can vary. Even Beach changed his recipes over the years, and another legend of Tiki-style cocktails, Trader Vic, also served a version on his restaurant menus.
This recipe comes from Tiki historian, bar owner and author Jeff "Beachbum" Berry and stays true to the 1930s original. Just note that Beach allegedly limited his customers to two Zombies because of their strength. Any more, he said, could make you "like the walking dead."
Ingredients- 1 1/2 ounces Jamaican rum
- 1 1/2 ounces Puerto Rican gold rum
- 1 ounce 151-proof demerara rum
- 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 ounce Don’s mix (recipe below)
- 1/2 ounce falernum
- 1 teaspoon grenadine
- 4 dashes Pernod
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Garnish: mint sprig
- Add the Jamaica rum, Puerto Rican gold rum, demerara rum, Pernod, lime juice, Donn’s mix, falernum, grenadine and bitters into a blender, then add 6 ounces of crushed ice.
- Blend at high speed for no more than 5 seconds.
- Pour the contents into a tall glass or Tiki mug and add additional crushed ice to fill, if necessary.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
