While a Zombie might conjure up thoughts of the living dead, the Zombie is more the sort of cocktail designed to keep the dead moving. Myths say that imbibing the Zombie at Donn’s once helped a hungover business man get through an important day. That it made, ‘a zombie out of him’. In all likelihood this often butchered drink was the result of many careful attempts to balance it for Donn. Deceptively simple as it might be say, a Zombie is a complex, delicious drink that you should probably have no more than two of in an evening.
Zombie
The Zombie is a beautifully boozy rum forward drink that’s sure to put you into an undead trance. The rums tangle into a blend that ascends with the assistance of the accompanying ingredients into a singular, complex rum fueled punch. The result is a roller coaster ride of rum. The flavor transitions from ethers and Jamaican funk with tropical fruit into vanilla from Caribbean casks before dead ending in demerara brown sugar notes. The middle is pops of citrus and herbal notes, tied together with a balanced sweetness.
Drink Notes and Recommendations
There’s a reason you’re only supposed to have one of these. Packing over FOUR ounces of rum, one of which is overproof, the Zombie contains almost two full drinks worth of booze in one. Despite the fact that it looks like it should be a combination to wake the undead on paper, it all pulls together with a couple of tips and tricks.
- Overproof Black Blended Rum – Due to the concentration of flavor, the decision of which rum you select has a big impact on how the Zombie comes out. We used Plantation O.F.T.D here, but we’ve also greatly enjoyed Goslings 151. For something more adventurous, try Lemon Hart & Son 151.
- Aged Rum #1 – One of the ways that Tiki drinks can get some of their allure is by using the split base method. This means taking the full amount of liquor and splitting it between spirits in the same category. In this case we’re using Aged Rum #1 as some of column still aged choices. We used Bacardi 8 here to give a tropical brown sugar feel, but you could also use Kirk and Sweeney.
- Aged Rum #2 – On the flip side of split base, we went for a blended rum. Using Appleton Reserve here gave a lot of tropical fruit notes and funk to add another dimension to the drink. You could also use Doorly’s X.O. or Plantation 20th Anniversary, the later of which would considerably drive up the cost of making this drink.
- Falernum – We use John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, but feel free to substitute your preference.
- Grenadine – To make grenadine, combine equal parts by weight pomegranate juice and white sugar in a sauce pot. Heat until almost simmering and all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add ½ oz of neutral spirits (vodka / overproof such as Everclear) if desired for preservation. Place in a clean bottle and store in the fridge for up to several weeks. Dispose of if any mold or haze develops.
- Cinnamon Syrup – Combine 250g of sugar, 250g of water, and 10 grams of cinnamon broken into 1″ pieces in a pan. Add heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup reaches a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, strain cinnamon pieces from syrup using a chinios and coffee filter. Add .5 oz of Everclear / overproof vodka and shake gentle for 1 -2 seconds to combine. Store in fridge. Discard if no longer transparent / any hazy develops
- Grapefruit & Lime Juice – Use fresh squeezed for best results.
- Herbstura – This herbal liqueur is not available everywhere. To replace it, add 1 part Angostura Bitters to 1 part Pernod (or absinthe). Stir. To measure a dash, add .04 to .08 oz (or a couple of bar straws worth) to your shaker tin.