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Rich, fresh, spicy and fruity, this OG tiki cocktail has a little something for everyone.
About the cocktail
It might have a scary name, but the Zombie cocktail is nothing to be feared, despite this traditionally being a stronger style of drink. The Zombie dates back to the earliest days of tiki bars – to the first one, in fact. Don’s Beachcomber in Hollywood is often credited as launching the tiki-bar scene, and this venue became so popular, it later grew into a chain across the US. And it’s here that the first Zombie came to be. The word ‘tiki’ traces back to Maori origins, referring to sacred carved images of gods and deified ancestors. But the tiki bar concept followed military expansion that took soldiers to places across the Caribbean and South Pacific, and in turn introduced them to the local Polynesian cultures and exotic flavours found in these tropical climates. Before that, they wouldn’t have tasted pineapple or coconut, for example. Or rum, which quickly became the hot new spirit of the time. The earliest tiki drinks that Don’s Beachcomber served up were big on theatre, flavour and impact – OTT garnishes and all. And that’s where the Zombie comes in, fast gaining fans in the heady days following Prohibition Era in the US. Like many drinks with a long history, the Zombie has many incarnations. Here, we’ve pulled back on its punchy factor, while still using both white and dark rum, but bringing all that freshness and vibrance from the fruit juices, as well as the spices in the falernum. It might look like this recipe has a load of ingredients, but it’s a cinch to mix up. And, as a fairly different drink to many classic cocktails, this is a great one to pull out when you want to impress.
Ingredients
40mL white rum 20mL dark rum 15mL falernum 10mL fresh lime juice 10mL grapefruit juice 20mL pineapple Juice 2 dashes bitters 2 dashes ricard (optional) 5mL grenadine - Garnish: mint sprig, grapefruit slice, pineapple wedge, cherries, lime wheel, pineapple leaf and cocktail umbrella
Method
Add everything but the grenadine and garnishes to a cocktail shaker Add ice and shake Strain into a large highball glass over cubed ice Cap with crushed ice to create a little dome on top Drizzle your grenadine on top and add a straw (reusable only, please) - Garnish with everything but the kitchen sink – a mint sprig, grapefruit slice, pineapple wedge, cherries, paper umbrella, lime wheel, pineapple leaf, cocktail umbrella... Throw it all in however you please
Dan’s top tips
Some of the flavours in this drink can be big and shouty, so if you find them a little too much, feel free to rein it in. Not a huge fan of falernum? Make it a dash. Don’t drink a lot of rum? Halve the quantities and make it more about the fresh juices. Play around to see where your tastes lie – it’s the way the team at Don’s would’ve wanted it. In traditional tiki-bar style, you can go big on the garnishes of this drink. As you can see, we’ve thrown everything at it – mint, pineapple, cherries, limes, a pineapple leaf and even a cocktail umbrella. More is more, people! But if you want to enjoy a refined take on this cocktail, focus on one favourite garnish and keep it simple. If you are using mint leaves, though, remember to treat them gently. Smush them too hard and you’ll end up with little bits of mint floating around your drink, and unless that’s the effect you’re after, you may find it best to go a little softer.
