The zombie may very easily be the scariest tiki cocktail known to mankind! During the early years of tiki, men typically did not drink cocktails mixed with fruit juices, as it wasn't seen as a masculine thing to do. As a response, Don the Beachcomber developed the zombie recipe to call for multiple boozes, including high proof spirits, to create a tiki drink that would intimidate even the strongest of drinkers. Cleverly naming it after a monster and enforcing a two drink limit on the menus did the trick, and soon drinking the zombie was seen as a challenge, and a feat of strength.

How to Make The Zombie Tiki Cocktail

  • What's incredible to me is how smooth this cocktail can be. With so much alcohol, this is a dangerous drink because you don't notice it so much at first.

  • Give it time, though, and this one will sneak up on you. Drinkers beware!

  • Cinnamon and absinthe balance each other well.

Sips

  • The OG recipe calls for “Don’s Mix” which is 2 parts grapefruit juice and 1 part cinnamon syrup. You can make a full batch of this if you are scaling up your cocktail serving for a large group but if you are just making one or two cocktails it’s easy enough to just pour in the appropriate amount of each ingredient.

  • Use your favorite Falernum because they can vary significantly in flavor.

Tips

  1. Start with a shaking tin.

  2. Pour in 1.5 oz of Jamaican Rum.

  3. Next, add 1.5 oz. of Puerto Rican Rum.

  4. Then, 1 oz. of 151 demerara rum.

  5. Add 0.5 oz. of Falernum

  6. Pour in 1 oz. of grapefruit juice and 0.75 oz. of lime juice.

  7. Then 0.5 oz. of Cinnamon Syrup.

  8. Add 0.25 of grenadine

  9. Pour in a barspoon amount (or about 1/8 oz.) of Absithne.

  10. Lastly, two dashes of angostura bitters.

  11. Set aside your shaking tin and crush your ice.

  12. Back to your shaking tin, add some ice and shake for approx 10 seconds.

  13. Now open pour into your tiki glass, no need to strain.

  14. Place in a full sprig of mint, or more to your liking.

  15. Cheers!

The Zombie TIKI Cocktail Recipe

  • 1.5 oz. (45 ml) Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Cask Rum

  • 1.5 oz. (45 ml) Don Q Gold Rum

  • 1 oz. (30 ml) Hamilton 151 Demerara Rum

  • .5 oz. (15 ml) John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum

  • 1 oz. (30 ml) white grapefruit juice

  • .75 oz. (22.5 ml) lime juice

  • .5 oz. (15 ml) cinnamon syrup (SYRUPS VIDEO: https://rb.gy/buovjp)

  • .25 oz. (7.5 ml) grenadine (SYRUPS VIDEO: https://rb.gy/buovjp)

  • 1 bar spoon (3-5 ml) La Clandestine Absinthe

  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

  • Mint for garnish

Find some of these ingredients and more as part of my Curiada x Anders Erickson Collection

The Zombie Ingredient List

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