Much like the White Negroni—a white spirit on white spirit variation of the classic Italian cocktail—this variation on Don the Beachcomber’s classic Zombie was created by Fort Defiance’s Zac Overman using only white liquors (Overman’s inspiration came from the 1932 horror film of the same name—which he was surprised to see hadn’t been used by a tiki bartender yet). With a deadly mixture of white rum, overproof gin (preferably Hayman’s Royal Dock), pisco, coconut liqueur, maraschino liqueur, a homemade velvet falernum (made with overproof Jamaican rum) and absinthe, this heady cocktail maintains the original’s rock-em-sock-em punch of alcohol. To soften the blow, Overman adds just a touch of fresh lime and grapefruit juices. Created in the early days of Fort Defiance’s now legendary Sunken Harbor Club—a weekly tiki party at the restaurant—the White Zombie won the Art of Tiki competition at the NYC Wine and Food Fest. The drink is served only during brunch, but available to anyone willing to subject themselves to the cocktail’s ultra-boozy wrath. The two-drink limit on this Zombie is almost a dare to see if anyone will even try to have more than one.
The Essentials
Gin, Pisco, Rum
Grapefruit Juice
Absinthe
Shaker
Ingredients
1
oz
White Rum (preferably Banks 5 Island Rum)
1
oz
Overproof Gin (preferably Hayman's Royal Dock Gin)
1
oz
Pisco (preferably Macchu Pisco)
0.75
oz
Lime Juice
0.5
oz
Passion Fruit Syrup
0.5
oz
Kalani Coconut Liqueur
0.5
oz
Grapefruit Juice
cinnamon syrup
0.25
oz
Maraschino
2
dashes
Absinthe
Method
- Add all ingredients—sans garnishes—to a shaker tin with cubed ice. Shake.
- Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain the cocktail into a tiki mug over crushed ice.
- Garnish with a bouquet of fresh mint, half an orange wheel and a cocktail umbrella.
Ingredients
1.5
cups
Sugar
1.5
cups
Passion fruit purée
.75
Cup
Water
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the syrup is reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a bottle and chill.
Ingredients
2
cinnamon sticks
.5
Cup
water
1
Cup
sugar
Method
- Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cinnamon sticks and remove from heat. Steep cinnamon sticks until cool, then strain.