Spring

Zombie Tiki Drink Cocktail

August 17, 2015
4
2 Ratings
Photo by Alpha Smoot
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

The Zombie is one of Donn Beach's original and legendary tiki drinks—boozy, complex, and transporting. This version is slightly adapted from tiki talent Jeff Berry's recipe collection, Beachbum Berry Remixed. —Samantha Weiss Hills

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For Donn's Mix:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • For the cocktail:
  • 3 ounces white rum (preferably Jamaican)
  • 3 ounces gold rum (preferably Puerto Rican)
  • 2 ounces dark rum (preferably 151-proof Demerara)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pernod
  • 1 ounce Velvet Falernum
  • 4 ounces Donn's Mix (see above)
  • 2 teaspoons grenadine
  • A few dashes Angostura bitters
  • 3 cups ice
  • 2 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish
Directions
  1. For Donn's Mix:
  2. In a small saucepan, make a simple syrup by heating the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let it simmer for 1 to 3 minutes, and then remove it from the heat. Let the syrup infuse for up to 2 hours, and then strain it into a separate container.
  3. To finish the mix, add one part of the syrup to two parts fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.
  1. For the cocktail:
  2. Add all of the ingredients—except for the mint—to a blender, reserving the ice for last.
  3. Blend on high speed for 5 to 7 seconds, or until the crushed ice is a consistent size. Pour into two glasses and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

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1 Review

Brooke B. September 7, 2015
Oh my gosh, Sam, this looks so good. I'm always looking for new cocktail recipes (and velvet falernum has become one of my favorite things to work with when mixing!) Will have to add it to the list to try soon!