The Zombie is the cocktail Donn Beach created in 1934 at his Hollywood bar, using multiple rums and fruit juices.
Donn Beach, the founder of Don the Beachcomber, developed the Zombie as part of the early American tiki movement. The drink first appeared at his Hollywood restaurant in 1934 and became known for a complex mixture of rums, fruit juices, syrups and aromatic ingredients.
The original recipe was closely guarded, and surviving reconstructions differ in details. Common versions contain several types of rum along with lime juice, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, grenadine and a small amount of absinthe or anise-flavored liqueur. Because recipes vary, the defining answer is the cocktail's name rather than one universally fixed ingredient list.
The drink's name refers to its strength, and Don the Beachcomber reportedly limited customers to two Zombies in a day. It should not be confused with the Navy Grog, another Donn Beach creation, which has a different recipe and presentation.