What is the Singapore Sling Cocktail?

The Singapore Sling is a cocktail made with a blend of gin, Grand Marnier, cherry liqueur, herbal liqueur (usually Benedictine), pineapple, lime, bitters, and club soda. Its origin dates back to the early 20th century and is credited to Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in the Raffles hotel, Singapore. This cocktail is a variation of the Gin Sling, a single-serving punch. The first documented recipe of the Singapore Sling can be found in “The Savoy Cocktail Book,” a 1930 masterpiece by Harry Craddock. Over the years, multiple recipes of the Singapore Sling have been published, and David A. Embury noted in his book “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks” (1948) that no two published recipes of this drink are identical. When prepared with accurate measurements, the Singapore Sling tastes tart, refreshing, and delightful. However, by the 1980s, the cocktail had been reduced to a sweet blend of gin, commercial sweet-and-sour mix, and grenadine. Ideally, the Singapore Sling should be intricate, multifaceted, and rich in ingredients. It is a cocktail that invites experimentation, leading to most “classic” versions being based on general characteristics and nostalgia. Unfortunately, many contemporary renditions are excessively sweet, relying more on grenadine and pineapple juice than herbal liqueurs and fresh citrus.

Singapore Sling Cocktail Ingredients:

• 3/4 ounce of gin
• 1/4 ounce of Benedictine
• 1/4 ounce of Grand Marnier
• 1/4 ounce of Heering cherry liqueur
• 1 ounce of pineapple juice
• 1/2 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 dash of Angostura bitters
• Chilled club soda, to top
• Garnish: orange slice
• Garnish: cherry

Steps:

1. Combine the gin, Benedictine, Grand Marnier, Heering cherry liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, and bitters into a shaker filled with ice, and shake until the mixture is well-chilled.
2. Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with fresh ice, and then top it with club soda.
3. Garnish the drink with a slice of orange and a cherry.