Slingapore: Sips from the Past to the Present
Updated: Jun 26, 2022

Nothing spells “v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n” better than a relaxing sip of tropical tipple, and very few recipes get any more classic than the Singapore Sling. Widely regarded as its namesake city-state’s national drink, the gin-based Singapore or Strait Sling was created in 1915 by Hainanese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon for the world-famous Raffles Hotel, the iconic colonial symbol created by Armenian hoteliers the Sarkies brothers. Nowadays the legendary refresher is still being mixed in the hotel’s Long Bar by popular demand.

According to popular belief, Ngiam created the long drink to look like fruit punch so that ladies could comfortably, and sneakily, enjoy gin and liqueurs alongside gentlemen, amidst society’s contempt for women drinking. Singapore was one of the eminent trading posts established by British colonialism in the East, therefore high society often adhered to the social norms promoted in Great Britain, where sexist etiquette dictated that public drinking was frowned upon for women. The Singapore Sling was an instant success and gained popularity at Raffles Singapore. Even after more than a century of its creation, it is now a world’s top-10 classic cocktail enjoyed by travellers and locals alike.

The original recipe was thought to be lost in the 1930s. Despite much ambiguity around its origins and indistinct ingredients, the Classic Raffles Sling is still being served at the Long Bar by mixing London gin, cherry brandy, Bénédictine, Curaçao, with a few drops of angostura bitters, a good squeeze of lime juice, topped up with pineapple juice, adding grenadine syrup which gives the nostalgic cocktail its signature rosy hues. The exotic fruitiness and tangy sweetness of the cherry flavour this neon crimson concoction makes Singapore Sling the perfect quencher to be enjoyed on a muggy afternoon in its hot and humid birthplace.

Originated from an era when it was considered a defiance for women to drink unescorted and alongside men, the Singapore Sling could be an unintentional symbol in retrospect of women striving to be on par with men as autonomous adults in a free society. Fast forward to the present, while none of the deep structural gender inequalities is truly being challenged, society has been conditioned by gendered marketing to see alcohol as something women can now freely enjoy in the name of sisterhood and empowerment, especially for busy women who need to navigate anxiety at work and home. The Singapore Sling would be yet another perfect excuse to plan a girls’ trip to the Lion City.

Balmy and humid all year round, multicultural Singapore offers an unmissable getaway destination for vibrant nightlife, tropical island life and thriving city life. A whirlwind weekend escape with girlfriends will be brimming with options of instagrammable neighbourhoods such as cosy Tiong Bahru, a wide array of eateries in Chinatown, a stroll in the heavenly Singapore Botanical Gardens, or a shopping spree on Orchard Road. Always spend the late afternoon and evenings barhopping around City Hall, Harbourfront and Marina Bay Sands to sample all the different modern takes on Singapore Sling by talented bartenders.



Perched atop the former City Hall building and the current National Gallery Singapore, Smoke & Mirrors is the destination rooftop bar famous for its spectacular panoramic viewsof the iconic Padang and Marina Bay, and classic drinks with experimental new twists. Head bartender Jorge A. Conde’s rendition of the Singapore Sling is playfully titled Robbery at the Museum. On top of the traditional mix of locally distilled gin, cherry brandy, Maraschino liquor and house-made cherry bitters, Conde uses fermented pineapple tepache instead of regular pineapple juice, and layers it with sour cherry, local herbs and a splash of soda fizz for more complex layers of flavour.

Photo: Smoke & Mirror (Source: https://theshutterwhale.com/blog/2019/1/3/smoke-amp-mirrors-imposes-s20-minimum-spend-for-complimentary-cocktail-with-american-express-platinum-card)

Photo: Smoke & Mirrors unveils new head bartender and menu (Source: https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/04/smoke-mirrors-unveils-new-head-bartender-and-menu/4/)
SKAI bar is an elegant and ultra-modern cocktail bar located on the 70th floor at Swissotel The Stamford, overlooking the Singapore skyline with a stunning backdrop of the setting sun. Bar manager Rusty Cerven’s contemporary take on Singapore Sling is called Solera Sling. Mixing Citadelle Original gin, Luxardo Sangue Morlacco Cherry, and the orange-flavoured Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, with pomegranate syrup, pineapple tepache and lime, then topped with soda and garnished with cherries and candied pineapple for a complex fruity taste and long finish.

Photo: Skai (Source: https://skai.sg)
No Singapore Sling roundup will be complete without a pilgrimage to the birthplace of the cocktail, Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar. The century-old recipe has been given an update with an exclusively brewed Widges gin of botanical notes. Mixing cherry liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, Curaçao and Bénédictine with a grenadine made from 100 per cent pomegranate juice. Bask in the bar’s old-world charm, and follow the tradition of throwing peanut shells on the floor for the full experience.


Photo: Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar (Source: https://www.raffles.com/singapore/dining/long-bar/)
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