The Singapore Sling Turns 100 Years Old.

Long Bar at Raffles Hotel in Singapore

Ngiam Tong Boon

     It is not a usual thing to write about a Gin cocktail, but the Singapore Sling is a very popular cocktail that has survived 100 years of cocktail sales.   This is a very flavorful cocktail much like those of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic, plus in my mind a real "hall of fame" cocktail.

     The Singapore Sling was created by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915 at the Long Bar in the Raffles hotel in its namesake city. A hundred years later, it is Singapore’s national drink, widely available on menus everywhere you turn, and has gained international fame. It is still de rigueur for tourist visiting Singapore to go into the flagship Raffles and have one at the Long Bar.

 

 

The Classic Singapore Sling

• 1 oz. Gin
• 1/2 oz. Cherry Brandy
• 1/4 oz. Cointreau
• 1/4 oz. Dom Benedictine
• 4 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice
• 1/3 oz. Real Grenadine
• Dash of Angostura Bitters

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.  strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice.  Garnish with cherry and a slice of pineapple.