Zombie — tasting notes & food pairings

Zombie

The Zombie is the original tiki blockbuster — a tall, deceptively smooth rum punch built from three or more rums, fresh lime, falernum, grapefruit, cinnamon syrup, grenadine and a whisper of absinthe and bitters, blended flash-cold over crushed ice and poured long. Created by Donn Beach at Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood in 1934, it is one of the strongest and most famous cocktails ever served, fruit-fragrant and spiced on the surface but carrying a punishing dose of rum underneath. So potent that its maker rationed it, the Zombie launched the whole tiki movement and remains its defining drink.

Crisp & tart24% ABV

A tall, amber, blended rum punch of formidable strength, fragrant and spiced on the surface but heavy with rum beneath. Fresh lime and white grapefruit give a bright, slightly bitter citrus lead; falernum, cinnamon syrup and a touch of grenadine bring clove-and-baking-spice warmth and a thread of sweetness; the three rums layer light Puerto Rican brightness, Jamaican funk and dark Demerara caramel, and a few drops of Pernod add a faint anise lift. It tastes fruity, spiced and deceptively smooth — which is exactly why it is meant to be sipped slowly.