The Zombie cocktail is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it's not for those with mid-range hearts, or hearts that waver in the face of grave danger, either. The Zombie is a scary drink, because it is made with no fewer than four types of rum—white, golden, dark, and the terrifying 151-proof—and three different fruit juices. Oh, and straight sugar. It is what we at Esquire call the mother of all freak drinks.
Interest piqued? Heart still pounding along at a physician-approved rate? Then raid the rum shelf at the liquor store and make yourself this storied tiki drink. It's a charmer, luring you in with strong tropical flavor (which, to be fair, isn't for everyone). But it's evil, too. Don't drink more than one, two if you must. The Zombie's here to chomp your liver out. And while there are a lot of different ways to make it, this is the recipe we suggest. Flames optional.
A Little Background
The Zombie was one of very first tiki drink to make it big. Back in 1930s Hollywood, a guy named Don the Beachcomber opened a bar where he served tropical drinks loaded with rum. The Zombie was one of them, likely cooked up for some poor sap with a massive hangover whose deathly shuffle caught Don's sympathy. Either way, it caught one, especially at the Hurricane Bar at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Don the Beachcomber is still considered the father of tiki culture, and though his recipes were kept highly confidential, tiki historians have tried to recreate his original Zombie. Apparently, it had absinthe in it. Whew.
Join Esquire Select
If You Like This, Try These
Want to keep going this hard? Try another tiki drink called John the Beachcomber (and limit yourself to no more than two per hour). But there are other tropical rum drinks that won't deal you such a blow. Look to the Piña Colada or the Pain Killer for coconut flavors. A Mai Tai is citrusy. Or, stick to your paired-down rum classics, like the Dark and Stormy and Daiquiri.
Food styling by Sean Dooley
Prop Styling by Ashley Naum
