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Smooth-Talking Zombie

A modern spin on the infamous Zombie cocktail—layered rums, fresh juices, and a flaming garnish take this tropical classic from lethal to legendary.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Caribbean, Tiki
Calories: 234
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 oz gold rum
  • 1 oz dark rum
  • 1 oz white rum
  • 0.5 oz lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 oz grapefruit juice freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 oz falernum
  • 0.25 oz absinthe or pastis
  • 0.5 oz cinnamon syrup
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • 0.5 oz overproof rum for float and flame
  • 1 mint sprig for garnish
  • 1 lime shell for flaming garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail shaker for mixing
  • 1 Strainer for pouring
  • 1 tiki glass for serving
  • 1 Bar Spoon for floating rum
  • 1 lighter or long match for flaming garnish

Method
 

  1. Add gold rum, dark rum, white rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, falernum, absinthe, cinnamon syrup, and bitters to a shaker with ice.
    1 oz gold rum, 1 oz dark rum, 1 oz white rum, 0.5 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz grapefruit juice, 0.5 oz falernum, 0.25 oz absinthe, 0.5 oz cinnamon syrup, 1 dash Angostura bitters
  2. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds to chill and mix.
  3. Strain into a tall tiki glass filled with crushed ice.
  4. Carefully float the overproof rum on top by pouring over the back of a spoon.
    0.5 oz overproof rum
  5. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime shell filled with a few drops of overproof rum.
    0.5 oz overproof rum, 1 mint sprig, 1 lime shell
  6. Carefully ignite the rum in the lime shell with a long match or lighter. Blow out before drinking.
    0.5 oz overproof rum, 1 lime shell

Notes

To reduce the booze but keep the vibe, swap in zero-proof rums and skip the float. If flaming the garnish, always light it away from guests and never use indoors without proper safety precautions.
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