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History of the Singapore Sling

The history of the Singapore Sling goes back to 1915 when it was created in the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon.

A few years ago my wife and I were lucky enough to enjoy a Star Clippers cruise from Phuket to Singapore. With a final day and a night in Singapore, what else could we do but head to the Long Bar at the historic Raffles Hotel to enjoy a Singapore Sling cocktail in the place where it was invented.

What is a Singapore Sling?

A Singapore Sling is a gin cocktail but the original recipe was a secret. In any case this got lost in the mid-20th century when the cocktail fell out of favour, and it was recreated by the bartender’s nephew using old recipe books, notes, and memories.

A Singapore Sling Gin Cocktail in the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore — A Singapore Sling at Raffles

Singapore Sling Recipe

There’s some controversy over the exact recipe, but the International Bartenders Association official recipe today is:

Ingredients

3 cl gin
1.5 cl cherry liqueur (cherry brandy)
0.75 cl Cointreau
0.75 cl DOM Bénédictine
1 cl Grenadine
12 cl pineapple juice
1.5 cl fresh lime juice
1 dash Angostura bitters

Preparation

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into highball glass. Garnish with pineapple and cocktail cherry.

History of the Singapore Sling

There are various variations on the history of the Singapore Sling and how it came to be created. It’s probably safest to go by what the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, the place where the drink was first made, as it says on their website.

According to this, the gin cocktail was definitely created in 1915 (some accounts say it was earlier) by the bartender at their Long Bar, Ngiam Tong Boon.

The situation at the time in Singapore was that it wasn’t the done thing for women to be seen drinking alcohol in public places, so the Long Bar had a menu of fruit juices and other soft drinks for them to choose from. The bartender had the clever idea of coming up with a cocktail that looked like a fruit juice, so that the ladies could enjoy a drink too, and only those in the know were aware of what was really in it.

An Alternative History of the Singapore Sling

Another story says that although the drink was created at the Long Bar, it was done when an army officer spotted a beautiful woman in the bar and asked Ngiam Tong Boon to create a cocktail that was a match for her red lips.

What is a Sling Anyway?

A sling, including the gin sling, is a cocktail that’s been around since the 18th century. It combines a spirit with hot or cold water, sugar, and nutmeg, though modern recipes are rather different from the original. The word ‘sling’ comes from the German for ‘to swallow’: schlingen.

The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore — The Long Bar at Raffles

At the Long Bar

Singapore Slings are so popular at the Long Bar that bartenders can’t make them fast enough, so they have to be pre-mixed. The other unusual thing about The Long Bar is that you’re encouraged to throw your peanut shells on the floor while drinking at the bar. This is rare for Singapore, where littering is not tolerated, but they’ve been doing it at The Long Bar since the 1920s.