The winner of our Zombie blind tasting, Anton Kinloch’s recipe was the only one of eight in which the grenadine was perceptible, thanks to the fact that Kinloch acidifies his syrup to make it pop, even when a mere tablespoon is used. For the rum, Kinloch is true to the hard-hitting nature of the original and blends one and a half ounces each of Puerto Rican and Jamaican rums, with another ounce of overproof Demerara rum. “You can taste the layers,” noted one of the panelists. Though Kinloch serves his Zombie clarified, the recipe below is for the nonclarified version that won our blind tasting.
Anton Kinloch’s Zombie
Anton Kinloch | New Paltz, New York
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces Puerto Rican rum, preferably Havana Club Añejo Clásico
- 1 1/2 ounces Jamaican rum, preferably Hampden Estate 8-year
- 1 ounce overproof Demerara rum, preferably Hamilton 151
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce falernum, preferably Maggie’s Farm Falernum Liqueur
- 1/2 ounce Don’s Mix (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 tablespoon grenadine (see Editor’s Note)
- 2 dashes absinthe
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain into a glass over crushed ice.
Editor's Note
Don’s Mix
Combine 2 parts cinnamon bark syrup (see below) with 1 part grapefruit juice.
Cinnamon Bark Syrup
17 grams Vietnamese cinnamon bark
450 milliliters filtered water
450 grams cane sugar
In a pan, toast the cinnamon bark over medium heat until aromatic. Add the water and sugar to the pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, let cool, then strain out the solids through a cheesecloth or Superbag. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.
Grenadine
250 milliliters pomegranate juice, preferably POM
250 grams cane sugar
1.88 grams malic acid
1.25 grams citric acid
0.15 grams Terra Spice orange extract
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until sugar is fully dissolved. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.