Zombie cocktail
Tiki · Party · Summer

Zombie

Three rums with lime, falernum, grenadine, bitters and a few drops of Pernod. Strong enough that the original bar limited you to two.

Base
Rum
Glass
Tiki mug
Method
Shake
Strength
17.97% ABV

Ingredients

  • 45 mlJamaican dark rum
  • 45 mlGold Puerto Rican rum1 swap
    Aged or amber rummedium

    Richer, more caramel

  • 30 mlDemerara Rum
  • 20 mlFresh Lime Juice1 swap
    Fresh lemon juicemedium

    Slightly less floral, more tart

  • 15 mlFalernum
  • 15 mlDonn’s Mix
  • 1 tspGrenadine Syrup
  • 1 dashAngostura Bitters
  • 6 dropPernod

How to make

Technique
Shake · 10–15s

Shaking chills the drink fast while adding dilution and a light texture.

  1. Add all ingredients into an electric blender with 170 grams of cracked ice.
  2. With pulse bottom blend for a few seconds.
  3. Serve in a tall tumbler glass.

Serve

Glass
Tiki mugAlso fine: Double old fashioned glass, Highball glass
Garnish
Garnish with mint leaves.Slap them once between your palms to release the oil.

Taste & nutrition

17.97%ABV
264kcal
3.01Drinks
StrengthMedium
Sweet to dryBalanced

Estimated from ingredient amounts and assumed ABVs — not a lab measurement.

Good to know

  • Donn's Mix is your own prep: 2 parts fresh yellow grapefruit juice to 1 part cinnamon syrup.
  • Use freshly squeezed juice — bottled tastes flat.

History

Year1934
PlaceHollywood, USA
Created byDonn Beach

Donn Beach created the Zombie in 1934 at his Hollywood tiki bar, blending several rums with citrus and spices into a famously potent punch. It was so strong that Beach reportedly limited guests to two. Its exact recipe was a closely guarded secret for years. It became the legendary heavyweight of tiki drinks.

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