Fiery, aromatic, rummy, adventurous
The Zombie’s wickedness needs only itself, or steak tartare.
This drink is a testament to Don the Beachcomber’s canny business sense. You see, Don had a problem: all his fruity drinks were catnip to the ladies, and they fluttered to his bar like hungry fruit bats. But there wasn’t much to attract the guys, many of whom found the offerings too feminine. Enter the Zombie, Don’s killer app for getting machismo into the scene. In a bit of marketing genius, he limited customers to two of these skull-punchers apiece. That did it. The surfin’ rubes sucked ’em down in droves. Recipes vary wildly. Tiki authority Jeff (Beach Bum) Berry has spent untold hours uncovering the original mix, the secret of which is a cinnamon-grapefruit juice. It’s recreated here using cinnamon syrup, which you can find in a store or make yourself.
1½ (45 ml) ounces aged Jamaican rum (Appleton Estate Extra)
1½ (45 ml) ounces gold rum (Flor de Caña Gold 4 Yr)
1 ounce (30 ml) 151-proof Demerara rum (Hamilton Demerara 151 or Lemon Hart 151)
½ ounce (15 ml) falernum
⅛ teaspoon Pernod
¾ ounce (22 ml) fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons fresh white grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon syrup (page 243)
1 teaspoon grenadine (page 244)
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 mint sprig, for garnish
Pour ingredients into the blender with ice. Blend and serve in a chilled hurricane or a highball glass. Garnish with the sprig of mint.