The Rebirth of the Zombie: Tasting the legend for the first time

Aloha,

I wanted to share with everyone a very special experience I had last week in New Orleans. I had the great pleasure of visiting Stephen Remsberg's house with Wayne Curtis (author of "And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails http://www.republicofrum.com/) and Jeff Berry. Stephen has the largest private collection of rare and vintage rums in the world. Those of you who have read Wayne's book will remember him from the last chapter. We tasted several fine rums, including several long lost New England Rums, and a few pre-Castro Cuban rums. But the main purpose of our mission that night was to recreate the Zombie using Jeff's recently unearthed recipe from 1934 that appears in Sippin' Safari. To not just make it, but to make it with the actual rums from 1934 as called for in the recipe.

I'm not going to reprint the recipe here, because you should buy Sippin' Safari (www.clubtiki.com), but we started with the Lowndes Jamaican (upon tasting, we realized that Appleton Extra would probably be a better contemporary substitute than V/X). He had just one mini of this wonderful rum, so screwing up was not an option. Stephen also had a few minis of the dark Puerto Rican, now an uncommon item. The best sub we thought of at the time was Lemon Hart Jamaican, but since that it unavailable as well, it's not much help. :(. And for the 151 Demerara, Stephen did have mid-1930s Lemon Hart, which does have a different flavor than todays, a little lighter and woodier in body. For the absinthe, a Spanish example from the 1930s.

So anyway, all of the spirits were exactly what was called for, and all made in the early to mid-1930s. The result was pretty spectacular: dry, tart & dynamic, with bold anise & strong oak flavors, with a dash of cinnamon & bitters. Certainly many of Don's signature flavors, and a showcase of the interplay between good rums.

Here's some pictures:

A fraction of Stephen's Collection:

Stephen very carefully at work:

The finished product (mostly consumed!) and the precious ingredients:

Stephen, myself, and the bum:

Big thanks to Stephen, Jeff, and Wayne for making it an unforgettable experience.

For a little of of the Wayne/Stephen magic:
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/1049.And_a_Bottle_of_Rum_A_History_of_the_New_World_in_Ten_Cocktails

[ Edited by: martiki 2007-07-25 12:42 ]

And yeah, that bottle does say Ron Rico! It used to be good rum!

Such an awesome experience. My jealousy sees no bounds!

The 1930s bottles look so cool; I'd take labels like that over all the super-fancy and slick stuff today. Though the Lemon Hart bottles you can find now are quite nice.

I don't want to derail martiki's great weekend topic but while we're on the subject of 1930's zombie recipes. Check this 1938 newspaper with the zombie recipe included:

I showed it Bum who'd seen it before. I didn't care for it.

[ Edited by: pappythesailor 2009-01-07 11:47 ]

Nice. Tasting history! That's as close to a time machine as you'll get, I suppose. I have a recorded show here with Stephen showing how to make a Don the Beachcomber Mai-Tai. Wonderful to see that rum collection. I remember reading that a lot of the labels on his bottles peeled off due to his house flooding during Katrina, but that the contents were intact I think.

Wow! Truly the experience of a lifetime! the Zombie has always been a favorite of mine and what I would give to be able to go back to Hollywood in the late 30s and experience an original. It looks like you got as close to that as is actually possible. Jealous congratulations!

I got a PM asking about the differences between this one and the one we serve at FI. We serve the the 1950 Spievak recipe from Intoxica. They have virtually nothing in common, but I like the formula quite a bit. I also think it fits well with modern tastes, and we get a lot of good feedback on it. I also tied for first place at the Tiki Oasis Zombie Competition with the 1950 recipie some years back if any of the six or seven old-timers left on TC remember that.

what a fitting way to celebrate your birthday! :)
(happy belated one btw)

(and im not implying that you resemble in any way/shape/or form a zombie)

i'll shut up now.

On 2007-07-25 13:19, pappythesailor wrote:
I don't want to derail martiki's great weekend topic but while we're on the subject of 1930's zombie recipes. Check this 1938 newspaper with the zombie recipe included:

http://www.telechron.net/temp/winnipegfreepress10-28-38.pdf

I showed it Bum who'd seen it before. I didn't care for it.

What is "Porto Rican cartadora"? I realize it translates to "gold label," but is that light rum, gold rum, dark rum???

"I am Lono!"

[ Edited by: arriano 2007-07-25 18:35 ]

On 2007-07-25 12:37, martiki wrote:
The result was pretty spectacular: dry, tart & dynamic, with bold anise & strong oak flavors, with a dash of cinnamon & bitters. Certainly many of Don's signature flavors, and a showcase of the interplay between good rums.

I've already made both the 1950 Speivak and the 1958 Caberet Zombie, so after reading your post, I decided it was time to take the 1937 Zombie out for a spin. Wow. Your above description was absolutely on the nose. The Bum compared this early version of the drink to the Colorado River and I am inclined to agree with him. It's good, and it's strong and yet it is missing the refinements made to the Caberet Zombie are very evident; same drink, a few changes - no cinnamon-syrup, the addition of pineapple and Maraschino liqueur and you have a much smoother drink -l a zombie with a much more refined and smoother taste.

I am inclined to agree with you, Martiki, that the Speivak Zombie is an absolutely decent version of this drink. Of the four published Bum recipes, I'd be curious which one he would choose for his own personal drinking pleasure.

I am half way through my 1937 Dick Santiago Zombie and as an artifact of tiki ground zero, I have to say it's definitely worth making and trying. However, as a party drink, I think I'd make up a pitcher of Speivak's. Easier by the numbers and the ingredients are more at hand. Honestly, I still can't believe I had the right ingredients to make these drinks in my liqueur cabinet to begin with.

As a closing note, I have to add that the Pearl Diver is my new favorite Beachcomber drink outted by the Bum. Like the Zombie, it uses some of Donn's secret ingredients and additives, and yet, it is smooth as butter and honey while retaining the touch of bitters, cinnamon, and even a kiss of vanilla and allspice. The folks at TC have been give a real gift in the Bum's latest book... The boards will be hot with new topics for years to come.

[ Edited by: telescopes 2007-07-25 19:46 ]

dude what an awesome opportunity! i'm very envious. sadly i think that one of the only drinks i have yet to try at FI is the zombie. next time perhaps.....

What a fantastic experience- thank you for sharing so the rest of us can live vicariously through you.

I'm jealous, and we almost went to NOLA for the taste of the cocktail.

Wow, thanks so much for sharing this unique experience -- with pictures, no less!

My first experiment after ripping through "Sippin' Safari" was the 1956 Cabaret Zombie. I make the 1950 Spievak recipe regularly and it never fails to please. But I really felt like a mixologist when I lined up my 11 ingredients and then tasted the 1956 version -- rich, many-layered. At first I thought the maraschino overpowered it, but then it moved politely aside as the other flavors emerged. And what a wallop. Madame must go lie down now...

I can't tell you how inspiring this article was. Sippin' Safari represents a new benchmark in tropical-cocktail mixology.

Bump. Just read this again and it's fantastic. A real purists delight.

I'm still working my way to the perfect Zombie and this is real inspiration.

Mahalo

Cheers!

More hot wet zombie action can be found here:

http://www.tikioasis.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_3&products_id=4

Just saw this post, man, i wish i could have been there that night. I have heard stories of his collection, and glad most of it survived after Katrina. Your palette got to time travel that night, what a treat! Good luck with your symposium at Oasis!

I wanted to bump this thread and ask a question of my fellow TCers.

Firstly, what an great opportunity this must have been, to literally taste a piece of living history! This story has encouraged me to redouble my efforts to mix the best and most authentic Zombies that I possibly can in my home bar. Martiki noted that the Lowndes Jamaican Rum, which was used in the original 1934 DTB Zombie, was similar to Appleton Extra 12 year. He also noted that the dark Puerto Rican rums as used in the 1934 original are now an uncommon item. This lead me to think about Ron del Barrilito Two Star & Three Star, which are (IMHO) the best rums currently made in PR. As nobody sells Barrilito in these parts I am going to have to order it on the web, so I was wondering if anyone might have an opinion as to how one of these rums ( likely the Three Star, which is aged 6-10 years vs the Two Star's three years of age) would work in a 1934 Zombie, along with Appleton Extra 12 Year and Lemon Hart 151 as the primary ingredients?

I would appreciate any opinions that you might have.

Mahalo,

Craig

I think the Ron del Barrilito rums are really nice. I worked my way through a bottle of the Three Star in 1934 Zombies and other recipes and am now working through a bottle of the Two Star. They both work well, but the Three Star is clearly a better / more expensive rum. When I get done with the Two Star I will spring next time for the Three Star. I've been on and off again alternating the Ron del Barrilito with some Cruzan (per the Beachbum's suggestions about Virgin Islands versus PR rums).

Like you, for my 1934 Zombies I used Appleton Extra or V/X and Lemon Hart.

I'd have no hesitation though using the Ron del Barrilito instead of Cruzan. I think the Barrilito is clearly in a differnt league from "normal" Bacardi (I have never tried the Bacardi 8 ).

I picked up my Barrilito Three Star on a trip to Puerto Rico in the airport duty free. The Two Star was purchased in the Boston area at Martignetti's in Brighton. I can't remember if they carry both of the types.

Thanks for the quick reply Hiwattowner! I suspected that Barrilito 3 Star would make a great Zombie. I just ordered some on the 'net.

Just for kicks and giggles, anyone ever use Bacardi 8 in a Zombie (or anything else)? I've heard that the '8' is a cut above the average Bacardi product. True?

Mahalo,

Craig

Haven't used Bacardi 8 in a Zombie, but I will agree that the "8" IS one of Bacardi's better products.

Yeah, I know I'm ugly...I said to a bartender, 'Make me a zombie.' He said 'God beat me to it.'

• Rodney Dangerfield