In our series of Cocktails at Home, today we explore the infamous Singapore Sling from the beautiful Raffles Singapore. Regarded as Singapore‘s national drink, the Singapore Sling was first created by Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon at the property’s iconic Long Bar in 1915. The pretty rosy cocktail has since become an icon around the world.
The history: Following the turn of the century in colonial Singapore, Raffles was the spot to be in Singapore. The sophisticated scene featured gentlemen sipping glasses of gin or whiskey, and ladies modestly drinking fruit juices and teas, as etiquette dictated they could not consume alcohol in public. Ngiam saw a niche in the market and created a cocktail that looks like plain fruit juice but was actually infused with gin and liqueurs. With the rosy-hued, feminine drink, it led people to think it was a socially acceptable drink for women. With that, the Singapore Sling was born.
- 30ml of London dry gin
- 10ml of dry curacao
- Splash of Bénédictine
- Splash of grenadine syrup
- Dash of bitters
- 10ml of cherry liquor
- 1 lime
- 60ml of fresh pineapple juice
- Slice of pineapple to garnish
- Ice
- Start by filling a cocktail glass with ice and lining up the ingredients.
- In a mixer, add the gin, dry curacao, Bénédictine and a splash of grenadine syrup, followed by 10ml of cherry liquor and dash of bitters. Finally, add the juice of one lime and 60ml of pineapple juice. Shake well.
- Pour into your cocktail glass and finish off with a garnish of pineapple.
- Tip: Make sure you use fresh lime and pineapple juice and ensure you use a dry gin for the perfect flavor.
