Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling is a gin-based cocktail associated with Singapore and the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel.

The Singapore Sling is a gin-based cocktail associated with Singapore and the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. It is commonly credited to bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, who is said to have created it in the early 20th century, with Raffles Hotel and Singapore sources dating it to 1915. The modern drink is typically a pink, fruit-forward long cocktail made with gin, fruit juices, liqueurs, and bitters.

History

Most modern accounts trace the Singapore Sling to Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, around 1915. Some sources note that the drink evolved from earlier gin sling traditions and that recipes have changed significantly over time.

Ingredients and style

The Singapore Sling is typically a long cocktail built on gin, fruit juice, cherry liqueur, citrus, Bénédictine, grenadine, and bitters. Raffles Hotel publishes an official recipe that uses pineapple juice, lime juice, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Bénédictine, grenadine, and Angostura bitters.

Recipe variations

There is no single universally accepted recipe. Historical and contemporary versions differ, and commentators note that the modern drink is often a reformulation rather than a fixed original formula.

Cultural significance

The Singapore Sling is strongly identified with Singapore’s hospitality image and is often described as a signature drink of Raffles Hotel. It is also frequently presented as one of the world’s best-known classic cocktails.