tru blu zombie ~

Zombies scare me. I don’t watch them on television, or at the movies. Well, I did make it through Zombieland, but just because of Bill Murray.

But I finally found a zombie I like ~ my version of the Zombie cocktail. According to tiki lore, the Zombie was created by Don the Beachcomber as a hangover remedy for one of his customers. With 4 ounces of rum in the drink, it will cure more than a hangover!

Mine uses most of the classic ingredients – 4 different rums, fruit juices, grenadine and falernum syrups ~ but I pour the concoction into 2 smaller drinks to share rather than one zombifying monstrosity. I usually prefer drinks with just a few ingredients ~ but this one has a lot! Not something I’d pour up for a quick evening highball, but lots of fun for a Saturday night cocktail hour.

For this evening I used all Bacardi rums. I needed a fresh bottle of Bacardi white for the bar anyway, and their 151 rum is a classic Zombie ingredient ~ so I just went with tradition and picked up Bacardi gold & dark too. It will not go to waste at my house!

I also picked up some falernum syrup {pronounced fa-learn-um} ~ it’s another traditional ingredient in tropical cocktails. With flavors of almond, lime, ginger, clove or allspice, it adds a very distinctive flavor to the drink. Oh, and I used my latest barware purchase ~ vintage tiki mugs found on Etsy! Love these colors!

I like using a Boston shaker to mix these up. The measurements on the shaker glass help with adding the ingredients, and you can check the color as you go. It should be that blend of yellow and orange that make up every Caribbean sunset. Drinks with fruit juice are nearly always shaken to make sure the ingredients are completely emulsified. Clear drinks are generally stirred. This one is definitely shaken ’til ice cold.

tru blu zombie ~~~
{makes 2 drinks}

1 oz white rum
1 oz gold rum
1 oz dark rum
1 oz 151 rum
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup
2 teaspoons falernum syrup
2 teaspoons simple syrup {more or less to taste}
dash of bitters

Add all ingredients to a large cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until very cold ~ roughly 20 shakes. Strain over fresh ice into a pitcher or cocktail glasses. Garnish with fruit ~ cherries, lime, pineapple. Cheers!

No worries about having to run to get away from these zombies. This is a fun cocktail to set up on the bar for a festive evening kickoff.  It is potent, so plan accordingly. Hang with your besties, have a cocktail or two, grill some great food, don’t forget dessert, and a good time will be had by all!

Cheers to a Tru Blu Zombie Cocktail y’all ~~~