Growing up in Southeast Louisiana, I thought that daiquiris were frozen concoctions that only came out of machines and were often purchased at a drive-thru. My first classic daiquiri experience did not occur until I was well into my 20’s. If you have yet to experience the tart refreshment that is a classic daiquiri, there is no better time than the present.
(Yes, drive-thru daiquiris. Common in Louisiana, these are small buildings that sell frozen daiquiris via drive-thru. No, you cannot drink while driving!)
The Zombie was created in the 1930’s by Donn Beach AKA Don the Beachcomber. As with many tiki drinks, the Zombie is not short on flavor, rum, and recipe variations.
Don was so protective over his recipes, that he wrote them in code- even his bartenders didn’t entirely know his formulations. He would premix elements and number the bottles, so a bartender may add a 1/2 oz. of “Don’s Mix Number 4” instead of the individual ingredients. While many of his recipes disappeared with his passing in 1989, bartenders, mixologists, and cocktail enthusiasts haven’t stopped attempts to crack the cocktail code.
